


Answers

by shannon730 (Shannon)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drama, F/M, Mystery, Romance, Spoilers, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-23
Updated: 2008-07-30
Packaged: 2018-10-01 00:44:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 44,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10176662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shannon/pseuds/shannon730
Summary: Hermione believes Snape is innocent and sets out to prove it.   This was started shortly after the release of HBP so it was not intended to be DH compliant although many elements of DH have been included where they work with this story.





	1. Prologue-4

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HP Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HP_Fandom_\(archive\)), which was closed for health and financial reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HP Fandom collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hpfandom/profile).

**Prologue**

“Let go of me,” Draco shouted, pulling his arm away from Snape as soon as they appeared in the dingy room. “Don’t touch me!”

“Keep your voice down,” Snape snapped, releasing Draco’s arm and moving through the room, peering cautiously through each window before pulling the curtains closed and placing wards. “I don’t know if we were followed.” 

“How could you…” 

Snape ignored Draco’s outburst as he went into the other rooms, again checking all the doors and windows before warding them. He wasn’t ready to answer Draco’s questions. He would have to eventually, but right now he didn’t want to think about the events of tonight. He killed the one man who had been willing to give him a second chance…the reasons didn’t matter; Dumbledore was dead and he was to blame. And another man was…was he dead? Snape wasn’t sure, it had all happened so fast, he hadn’t been able to go back and check on Flitwick, his intent hadn’t been to kill him, just to knock him out, keep him safe from the fight but there were still Death Eaters in the castle when he left. Had Granger been able to protect him?

Snape didn’t even want to think about all the other possible injuries and deaths that may have happened. He remembered passing so many battles, Bill Weasley was being attacked by Fenrir; students were battling Death Eaters, Lupin, Tonks, Minerva…

***

Draco stood in the middle of the room, where Snape had left him, everything had happened so fast. He had gotten the others in, as promised, and he found Dumbledore alone on that tower. Alone and injured. It should’ve been easy…but he couldn’t do it. He knew he didn’t have a choice, the Dark Lord had said if he failed he’d kill his entire family. 

Snape had killed him though and Draco didn’t know what was going to happen now. Technically he had failed. His aunt had said that if he didn’t do it himself the Dark Lord would still punish him, regardless of whether Dumbledore was dead. She had also said not to trust Snape. She had insisted that he was working against them, that he was a spy. Draco had believed her, it had made sense. Until tonight.

“We weren’t followed,” Snape said quietly coming back into the room. “We’ll be safe for a while.” 

“Why didn’t we go to the meeting point?” Draco asked, rubbing his left arm. “He’s expecting us.” 

“Is that what you want to do?” Snape snarled, eyes narrowing. “Do you believe it is safe to go to him? That he will accept that Dumbledore is dead, and not punish you? Are you that foolish?” 

“Yes,” Draco asked turning away from him. “Dumbledore is dead, why shouldn’t we go back? The task was completed.” 

“ _You_ failed,” Snape snapped. “ _You_ were supposed to kill him. The Dark Lord will not be pleased.” 

 

**Part One**

Hermione moved slowly through the now deserted Headmaster’s office. McGonagall had given her the password, let her in here to look for…she didn’t know what, exactly, but there had to be something. It had been three months since Dumbledore died. Three months since they had decided not to return for their seventh year in order to track down Voldemort with Harry. Three months of perfecting every defensive spell they had ever learned, and a few new ones that Lupin and Tonks had taught them. Three months since they had convinced everyone to let them join the Order. Three months since Professor Snape had disappeared with Draco Malfoy. Three months seemed like such a short time, yet such a very long time. 

She was here because so much seemed wrong about that night. Not just that Dumbledore had been killed, she had accepted that. What she couldn’t accept was that Snape had killed him. No, that wasn’t right either, Snape _had_ killed him. Harry wouldn’t have lied about that. She didn’t believe that he did it in cold blood; she couldn’t let herself believe that Severus Snape had been working for Voldemort all along. She knew all evidence pointed to it, and Harry had certainly asked Dumbledore to explain why he trusted Snape often enough without ever getting an answer. But something just wasn’t right. 

She needed to know exactly what happened that night, she thought as she ran her fingers over the various instruments on the table in the corner. So much didn’t add up. If Snape was going to go to the tower and kill Dumbledore, revealing himself as a spy, why only knock out Professor Flitwick? Why not kill him too? Why not take Harry to Voldemort? Snape had known Dumbledore would only be gone a few hours that night, she was sure of it, why not warn the Death Eaters. In her fifth year Dumbledore had been gone for months, if they wanted in the school they could’ve done it easier then. Umbridge never would’ve noticed until it was too late. 

She had asked all of these questions before, to Lupin, and to McGonagall. She had even asked Mrs. Weasley. No one knew, they had all accepted Dumbledore’s word that Snape could be trusted. Accepted it until that night, anyway. Now, no one knew what to think. 

“He’s a Slytherin,” Hermione muttered. “I get that. But they aren’t all evil, not even all pureblood. There has to be an explanation.” 

“You’re asking the right questions,” Hermione spun around at the sound of the familiar voice, one she hadn’t heard in three months. One she hadn’t expected to ever hear again. She was sure her mind was playing tricks on her. It wasn’t that she didn’t know portraits could talk, but she’d never get used to receiving answers when she was alone. “I stand by my belief that you are, indeed, the smartest witch of your generation, Miss. Granger.”

“Hea—Headmaster?” She said softly. Letting out the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding when the portrait nodded and smiled. She was relieved to see the familiar smile, even if it was only a painting. “I didn’t ask any questions.” 

“But you’re here,” Dumbledore responded. “The only reason you would risk coming here was for answers to the questions that need answering before Harry does something foolish to avenge my death.”

“Can you tell me what happened on the tower that night?” 

“No, I can not,” he admitted. “I can advise, and comment, even carry messages for you, but I can not tell you what happened, I don’t know all of the circumstances of my death. I only know what I’ve heard in this office. However, I agree with your view of Severus.” 

“Then how do I find out what happened? I wasn’t up there…” 

“Harry knows.”

“Yes, but Harry isn’t seeing clearly, is he?” Hermione said reluctantly. “It’s just that he…sometimes Harry lets his own prejudices cloud his judgment. He’s done it before where Snape was concerned.”

“Surely you can think of other ways to find out what Harry saw. _Exactly_ what he saw, Miss Granger?” The portrait Dumbledore smiled. 

Hermione groaned in frustration. Why should she expect the portrait Dumbledore to just tell her what to do, when experience said the living, breathing one would have expected her to figure it out on her own. It’s not as if she could go back in time. Or well, she could but the Ministry would ask too many questions if she tried to obtain a Time-turner. And she couldn’t see inside Harry’s…she stopped as she saw the Pensieve sitting in the small alcove. If Harry would give her his memory of that night she would know what happened. “Does Harry know how the Pensieve works?” She asked suddenly, turning back to the portrait. “How to put memories in it? I know he knows how to view them.” 

“I can tell you the spell,” Dumbledore offered. “Have you learned Occlumency?” 

“Yes, Professor Lupin has been working with all of us,” Hermione explained. “He said we all needed it if we insisted on helping Harry with this.” 

“He was correct. And you’ve all mastered it?”

“Well, I have. Ron and Harry just…”

“I understand, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore sighed. “But I must ask that you do not tell either of them what you learn from Harry’s memories.” 

“But, they’re Harry’s memories, surely he knows.” 

“As you’ve said, his prejudices sometimes cloud his thoughts. Voldemort does not, I believe, delve beyond the surface of Harry’s mind. As long as he believes what he thinks he saw that night, everyone will be safe. Or safer anyway.”

“Alright,” Hermione agreed. “I won’t tell them.”  
***

_He heard the shouting in the corridor outside his office. It was Flitwick. He couldn’t make out the words but he assumed he was talking to Granger and Lovegood, who had been outside his office for hours. He didn’t know why they were out there, but it was before curfew and they weren’t causing any trouble so he let it go. He had more important things to worry about. He still hadn’t figured out what Draco had planned. Just that he was going to get the Death Eaters into the castle._

_His door burst open and Flitwick came through, shouting about Death Eaters attacking the school. There was a battle in the tower. There was no time to listen to Flitwick’s babbling so he raised his wand... He ran out of the room, and told the girls to see to the other professor as he made his way toward the tower. There wasn’t much time._

_He raced past the Order members fighting on the stairs. He needed to get to the top, he couldn’t be too late. He couldn’t allow Draco to kill Dumbledore, he couldn’t. He raced through the barrier the Death Eater’s had put up. He knew it meant someone was up there, someone other than the Headmaster. He hoped it was just Draco. He could…well, he didn’t know what he’d do but if others were there it would be harder to stop this without blowing his cover._

_He pushed the door open to see Draco Malfoy standing across from the injured and weakened Headmaster. He was still alive. They weren’t alone though, Alecto, Amycus, and Fenrir were there too. He had let Fenrir loose in the school. What was the boy thinking?_

_“Severus,” the headmaster’s pleading voice interrupted his thoughts, seconds before Dumbledore’s thoughts flooded through his mind._

_The images of the last few hours flooded his mind. Dumbledore and Potter finding the Horcrux… Dumbledore drinking the potion…Potter helping him finish it…Rosemerta…The Dark Mark above the castle…Potter going to find him…Draco bursting through the door…Dumbledore’s wand… It was all too much._

_The headmaster was already dying. He had found another Horcrux. The one Snape had personally protected. There was no cure. Dumbledore didn’t want him to allow a student to kill him. Didn’t want Draco to take that final step into evil. He would die anyway, the poison was already killing him. Dumbledore wanted him to just do it, just kill him, protect Draco and cement his cover. It was the only way to keep everyone safe._

_He tried to argue, tried to make Dumbledore see his side. Make him see there had to be another way. In the end he did as the headmaster asked. He raised his wand…_

Snape sat up and stared into the darkness. He needed a dreamless sleep draught. It was the only way to stop reliving that night when he closed his eyes. He couldn’t take one though. He didn’t have the supplies to prepare it and even if he did he wouldn’t. He had killed the one man who had believed in him. Trusted him. He didn’t deserve to sleep in peace. He should suffer. 

They were all hunting him now, both him and Draco. Both sides hunting him for the same reason, he had killed Albus Dumbledore. He found it amusing that the one thing both sides seemed to agree on was that he shouldn’t have killed Dumbledore. 

Of course, their reasons were vastly different. The Order members firmly believed he had helped Draco get Death Eaters into the school. That he had helped to plot the entire attack. That he had betrayed them all. In some ways he agreed with them. He should not have listened to Dumbledore’s pleas. He should’ve found another way. 

Voldemort, on the other hand, wanted to punish him for doing what Draco had been ordered to do. It was never about getting rid of Dumbledore, not for Voldemort. If he had truly wanted that done he would’ve sent Bellatrix, or any of the other stronger, more experienced Death Eaters. No, for him, it was about punishing Lucius for getting caught. Give his son a task he could not hope to complete, and then kill him when he failed. 

He knew Dumbledore had been wrong. No one was going to figure out what truly happened. By now Potter had them all fully convinced that it had been his plan all along to kill Dumbledore. That he had been the one to betray James and Lily Potter fifteen years ago, he knew what was in the pensieve, what Dumbledore had shown Potter and exactly how it would be interpreted. He probably convinced them all that he had purposely made them get to the Ministry too late to save Black last year. They would all believe The Boy Who Lived because they all had a blind spot when it came to him. They always did, just as they had a blind spot where his father had been concerned. And he already knew what Potter believed happened on the tower; he had seen it before he left. 

He threw back the blankets and stepped out of bed. They had been here three months and had not been found yet, and as far as he could tell from the reports he was able to get, no one was even close to figuring it out. The place was well hidden. Dumbledore had hid it well; he had used a fidelis charm. Snape was his own secret keeper so now that Dumbledore had died, no one would find them here. Not unless he had written the location down somewhere…

 

**Part two**

“I don’t see why,” Harry said, pacing the room angrily. “I told you what happened that night.” 

“You told us what you believe happened, Harry, but…” Hermione pleaded again. She had been having this argument for days and was getting tired. 

“Don’t say it like I’m a child and don’t understand things,” Harry shouted. “I know what I saw. He killed him, and ran away like the coward he is. Ran back to Voldemort.”

“I’m not saying you didn’t see that,” Hermione explained. “Or that Snape didn’t kill him, it’s just…I think we’re missing something.” 

“How can you still defend him,” Ron asked from the chair in the corner. He had gotten yelled at enough times in the last few days to realize he should stay out of it, yet couldn’t understand why Hermione was so determined to do this. “I could understand, I guess, when he was our teacher and you were worried about respect, but he killed Dumbledore.” 

“Look, both of you,” Hermione said, glaring at each of them for a moment. “If you’re so sure he’s evil, that he’s a Death Eater, why not let me have the memory? It’ll only prove Harry correct.” 

“She has a point,” Lupin said from the door behind her. “If there’s nothing more to see than what you’ve told us, then she’s proven you right beyond all doubt. However, maybe she’ll see something that you don’t remember. Or maybe she’ll see something to give us a clue to where he is now.” 

“Fine. I’ll give you the memory.”

“It’s late, can we do this tomorrow?” Ron asked. “It’s been a long day.” 

Before Hermione could answer, Harry stormed out of the room, “I’m going to bed.” Ron followed behind him. She could hear them mumbling as they went up the stairs to their bedroom. She didn’t doubt that it was about her, and now Lupin. 

“They’ll be fine,” Lupin said, taking a seat in the chair across from Hermione. “He’s just lost so much…so many people because of Death Eaters.”

“I know, but I don’t want to be responsible for hunting down and killing a man that may not be guilty.”

“Nor do I,” Lupin sighed, “I still find it difficult to believe Dumbledore’s judgment could be so wrong.” 

“Will you go with me?” Hermione asked suddenly. “Into the pensieve. A second set of eyes may catch something, and I can hardly ask Harry or Ron.”

“If you want me to,” Lupin agreed. As he headed for the door, “I hope you’re ready for this, Hermione.” 

***

“How long can we continue to hide here?” Draco asked as he pushed his breakfast around his plate. “He’s going to find us.” 

Snape was still amazed at the boy’s conceit in believing that the Order would be of no danger to him. He feared the Dark Lord, as he should, but he didn’t see that the Order, when provoked could be every bit as dangerous. “This is the safest place we can be. No one can find us here.” 

“How can you be sure? You’ve used magic, as have I, he could trace it.” 

“Do you know what a Fidelis charm is?” Snape asked with a sigh. 

“It hides things.” 

“It hides locations, protects them from being found. Once the spell is placed only the secret keeper, can reveal its whereabouts,” Snape explained. “This place is protected by a Fidelis charm. I am the secret keeper. Dumbledore was the only other person that knew its location.”

Draco seemed satisfied with that information so Snape used the silence to consider the nagging feeling that he had forgotten something important. Something about this place, something dangerous for him to not remember. 

Draco was tired of being locked in this cabin. Snape realized that, he was tired of being locked up as well. Sitting here, just waiting for someone to either find and kill them or for someone to figure out what had really happened that night. Not for the war to end, because that wouldn’t save him, not really. Both sides wanted him dead, so the best he could hope for was that someone would figure out what happened, someone from the Order, so he could go home. 

***  
Hermione took a deep breath as she poured the small vial into the pensieve in the Headmaster’s office. Lupin had helped her perform the spell to retrieve Harry’s memory, and they had agreed it was best to come here to view it. This was still the safest place they could be. This office, not the school. The former headmasters would still protect this office from intruders when needed, just as they had kept Umbridge from claiming it when she chased Dumbledore out.

“Are you ready for this?” Lupin asked.

Hermione took a slow, deep breath and let it out before answering. “No, but I have to do it. I have to see, for myself, what really happened that night.”

“Let’s go, then,” Lupin smiled slightly and took her hand as he leaned toward the stone bowl. Second later he was holding Hermione up, and whispering, “Are you all right?” 

“I’ll be fine. I just wasn’t expecting it to be so, I’m fine.” She looked around at her surroundings for the first time. She was on tower, but they were alone. Then she saw movement in the darkness. 

She watched in silence as the night’s events unfolded before her. Exactly as Harry had described them. She saw Dumbledore freeze Harry; watched him talk to Malfoy; and the other Death Eaters. Watched Snape run through the door. She watched Dumbledore die and fall from the tower. She saw Harry chasing Snape as he and Draco ran to the gates so they could apparate; watched them argue. Then felt Lupin tug her hand and pull her out of the memory. 

“Did you find what you were looking for?” He asked. 

“Maybe,” she sighed. “I see what Harry saw, I see all the reasons why I should accept that he’s right, and that Snape killed Dumbledore, but…”

“But what?” Lupin asked when she hesitated. “What did you see?” 

“It isn’t what I saw, exactly,” she said, frowning. “It’s more what I didn’t see. Dumbledore was sick, dying. He was poisoned, but he was still powerful, we both know that, yet he…”

She hesitated again, trying to find the best way to express her thoughts. The best way to make him understand what she saw, or didn’t see, in that memory. “Professor, we were expected to master non-verbal spells last year. Especially the simple spells like petrifying or freezing someone.”

“Yes,” Lupin agreed, “That’s standard for sixth year.”

“If I, or even Harry or Ron, can perform that spell without speaking,” Hermione said slowly, “Why did Dumbledore shout out the spell and risk Draco, well doing what he did, and getting his wand from him?” 

“That’s a very good question, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore said from his spot on the wall. “And you are quite correct. I can perform a simple freezing spell silently.” 

“Then why didn’t you?” She asked, “Why expose yourself like that. If you hadn’t shouted Draco wouldn’t have been able to take your wand in time.” 

“I can’t be sure,” he responded. 

“I have a theory,” Lupin interrupted. When Hermione, and every portrait’s, attention was turned to him he continued. “You wanted Draco to know you were there. You knew what Draco was there to do, you wanted his attention on you, so you could…talk to him…give us time to get there. You also wanted to prevent Harry from doing anything rash.” 

“The spell accomplished both,” Dumbledore agreed. “Did you see anything else, Miss Granger?”

“Maybe, it’s so hard to be sure,” she sighed, “Harry said Snape’s face was full of rage just before he… It didn’t look like rage to me, it looked like pain.”

“Pain?” Lupin asked. 

“Yeah, like he was being forced to do something…distasteful.” 

“Such as murdering me?” 

“Exactly, and I don’t think you were pleading for your life, like Harry said, either,” she continued. “You were pleading with him but…”

“But what, Hermione?” Lupin prompted when she stopped speaking. 

“I don’t know, It’s all exactly like Harry said, but not,” she flopped back into the desk chair. She turned her attention to Dumbledore again, “You didn’t seem frightened. Weak and tired but not frightened. You and Snape were staring at each other so intently it was like you were…like you were in some sort of deep conversation no one else could hear.”

“I don’t understand,” Lupin said, pacing the floor in front of her. 

“Professor, I know with Leglimens you can see into someone else’s mind, and Occlumency prevents someone from invading your mind. But what if you wanted to show me something. Not me trying to see it, but you voluntarily showing it to me; forcing me to see your memory; is that possible?”

“I think you’ve found the biggest of the missing pieces, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore said, smiling broadly.

**Part Three**

“So did you find out I was making it all up?” Harry asked as Hermione hung her coat on the hook near the door.

Hermione sighed. She had a lot of thinking to do. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with Harry’s temper. “I never said you were lying, Harry.” 

“So you got nothing from the memory?” He sneered, “It all happened like I said.” 

“Not now, Harry,” Lupin responded. “No one accused you of lying, different people see things differently, and Hermione isn’t able to discuss it with you right now.” 

“I don’t see why she can’t discuss _my_ memory with me.” 

“I’m going up to my room,” Hermione said, ignoring Harry and heading for the stairs. “Just have Mrs. Weasley call me if she needs help with dinner.” 

When she reached the bedroom she shared with Ginny she sighed in relief to find it empty. She needed to think; to research things. Ginny was better at it than the boys but she’d still cover more ground alone, especially since she couldn’t discuss it with anyone. She grabbed a quill and began to make a list of what she knew…and what she didn’t. 

She knew that Snape killed Dumbledore; but not why, not exactly. She knew that something happened between Snape and Dumbledore that night, something more than Snape finally getting a chance to kill the weakened Headmaster, but not what happened. She knew that Dumbledore’s portrait said Snape had to help Draco, not only to keep his cover, but to save himself; another cryptic message from the Headmaster for her to decipher. She knew that Dumbledore trusted Snape implicitly, but not why. Even the portrait wouldn’t expand beyond, “I had my reasons.” 

What she didn’t know was the key to what had happened that night. She was sure of it, but she had no idea how she was going to get the answers. The portrait couldn’t help her anymore, beyond advice. No one else knew anymore than she did. The only one with the answers to her questions was Professor Snape, and she couldn’t ask him. She couldn’t know what was in his mind. 

“Hermione?” Lupin asked from the other side of the door. 

“Professor,” Hermione smiled as she pulled open the door. 

“I just wanted to make sure you were all right.” 

“Fine, just thinking,” she replied, and motioned him in so she could close the door behind him. “I need to know what happened between Snape and Dumbledore that night.” 

“Until we find Severus I’m afraid…”

“Can you teach me Leglimens?”

“Uh,” Lupin hesitated, he could teach her but, “Hermione, Severus is a master Occlumens. You’re a very talented witch but from this distance and his skill…”

“Well, we really don’t know how far away he is,” she pointed out. “For all we know he’s next door. And I realize he probably won’t let me in, but Harry said it felt different when you use Leglimens on him, than when Snape or Voldemort did, so maybe he’ll realize and… I don’t know, but it’s the only thing I can think of right now.”

He nodded. “Tonight, after the others have gone to bed.”

She smiled and hugged him. “Thank you, what’s the worst that can happen?”  
***

Severus Snape sat on the small sofa reading. He was getting restless. He wanted to leave here but couldn’t risk it. The real problem was that he’d never know if it was safe. The house was hidden, even if they figured it all out, no one could find him to tell him. Draco wanted out as well. He was afraid; afraid his mother would be punished for his failure and absence. Afraid that he wasn’t what his father wanted him to be. 

And he wasn’t. Draco wasn’t a killer. He wasn’t as cold as Lucius wanted his son to be. In the end that’s why Snape had killed Dumbledore, because Draco would never be the son Lucius Malfoy wanted. The prejudices were deeply imbedded but like most pure-bloods Draco Malfoy would’ve been content to just keep his distance from Muggles and half-breeds. In many ways Draco would be in more danger than Snape was if they left here. If he couldn’t convince the boy to give up on the Dark Lord and let the Order protect him he’d be dead within days. 

Closing his book he stood to replace it on the shelf, and stopped suddenly. Someone was trying to use Leglimens on him. He pushed back automatically, not allowing them in. He forced them out before he realized it was different, hesitant. The Dark Lord forced his way in, as did Dumbledore on occasion. Whoever this was, didn’t try to force their way in, and pulled away as soon as he pushed back. It ruled out any Death Eater that would’ve tried to find him as well. They would’ve pushed harder, not quit so easily.

Who else would possibly have the audacity to…Had they figured it out? Had Potter realized things weren’t always as they seemed? No, that boy would never see beyond his own nose; too much like his father. Lupin knew Leglimency but didn’t have the strength to…no one else knew how, unless Lupin had taught _her_. Had she realized what was happening, that Potter was wrong, was she trying to get to him? No matter what else he’d ever called her he never said she wasn’t smart. He should’ve realized if anyone would figure out what happened it was Miss Granger. 

But then why use Leglimency; surely she’d realize he’d block it. What good would it even do, other than to let him know she was there? Or that someone was there anyway.   
***

Hermione sighed; it had worked, sort of. She’d definitely found him, but she hadn’t gotten much further than that before he forced her out. She shouldn’t be surprised; he’d been keeping people out of his mind for years. She was disappointed though, she’d worked so hard for weeks to learn Leglimency and he wouldn’t let her in. 

She needed a different way, a way to communicate, to tell him what she wanted. To tell him she believed him. Dumbledore had agreed that he and Snape could’ve been communicating that night; that he could’ve forced him to see something, or even spoke to him telepathically. She jumped off the sofa and ran to the book shelf. This room was full of spell books; surely what she needed would be here. If not she’d go to Hogwarts tomorrow. She’d have to find a way to sneak out. 

**Part Four**

It had been three day since he’d felt the intrusion into his mind and the incident hadn’t been repeated. Had he been wrong about it being Hermione Granger? She was the most stubborn, determined witch he’d ever encountered, had she really given up that easily? 

What had he been reduced to, depending on a child, Potter’s best friend, to save him? He wasn’t even sure it was her, last he’d heard she didn’t know Occlumency or Leglimency. How could he be certain it wasn’t a trick; the Dark Lord trying to locate him? How could he even be certain it wasn’t someone from the Order trying to find him to kill him themselves? 

He also hadn’t seen Draco in hours. The boy had been spending most of his days sulking in his room. He wanted to leave, he had even managed to convince himself that if they returned to the Dark Lord they could explain what had transpired and would be spared. Not in the mood to deal with teenage brooding, he had left him alone. 

“I’m hungry,” Draco pouted, coming into the room as Snape was contemplating their food situation himself. 

“We just had breakfast an hour ago.”

“It was conjured food,” Draco pointed out. 

Snape sighed, he was correct, of course, the conjured food was not as satisfying as real food. If it was, the Wizarding population would save a fortune when feeding their families. The problem was he had never intended to be stuck here this long. This place had been established for when he was injured, or if he were discovered, but only to use until Dumbledore could safely move him to a new location. It was never meant to be his home for more than a few days, and certainly not three months with a companion. “Conjure something else, Draco. I’m not risking exposure to please you.” 

“Professor, I…” Draco began but stopped when Snape held up his hand to silence him. 

Snape turned away from Draco, he wasn’t sure what was happening, someone was trying to get into his mind again, but it wasn’t Leglimency. It was closer to what Dumbledore did that night. Although he didn’t know of any other wizard who could use telepathy effectively…

_Professor Snape?_

He should’ve known. If anyone would be intelligent and stubborn enough to research and learn antiquated magic like telepathy it would be…

_Thank you, I think_

Miss Granger. When did you learn this particular spell? 

_Yesterday._

And the Leglimens a few days ago? Was that you as well?

_Yes_

Would you care to explain yourself?

_You didn’t do it. You didn’t kill Dumbledore._

I assure you, Mr. Potter is not lying about what he saw that night.

_Maybe I said that wrong. I know you killed him but I don’t think you’re a traitor. I don’t believe you betrayed him, or us._

“What’s going on?” Draco asked. 

“Draco, just go make yourself lunch if you’re hungry,” Snape snapped. They finally had a chance, however small, of getting out of here, and the boy’s complaining was distracting.

_Draco’s with you?_

Yes. And why is it you don’t believe I betrayed you, Miss Granger?

_I just…I saw Harry’s memory and…Professor, I need you to tell me what happened that night._

I can’t do that. You aren’t the only one with the power of Leglimens, and I can’t keep others out and allow you in at the same time.

_You’re just going to stay in hiding then? Voldemort will find you; or Harry will…either way..._

A message is on its way to you, Miss Granger.

With that final statement he pushed her from his mind. Occlumency wasn’t as effective on telepathy as it was for Leglimency but she wasn’t as accomplished as Dumbledore either. He shut his mind to her and grabbed his wand. Waving it silently white light appeared and quickly took the form of a thestral. Hopefully, she was alone and no one would see his Patronus, he did a quick spell to be sure that no other than the intended person would hear the message and sent it on his way.  
***

How dare he? Hermione fumed as she paced her room angrily. She’s trying to help him, and he knows that now, and he just pushed her out like that. She had half a mind to leave him there, let Voldemort find him. It wasn’t as if he’d ever shown her any kindness. She was risking her life and her friendships to try to help and he still treated her this way. It wasn’t as if this magic was easy to learn or there wasn’t any danger to her…

Her internal ranting stopped short when the wispy Patronus, flew through the window and stopped in front of her. Who would have such a depressing Patronus, and why was it here with her, she wasn’t a member of the Order yet? As it silently conveyed its message to her she realized it should’ve been obvious. The Order had always used Patronuses to contact each other, and Snape would certainly find it safer than an owl. Now, she’d just need to find a way to get out without anyone noticing her absence. She paced the room trying figure out the best way to get out, and the safest. If she snuck out and someone noticed she wasn’t here it could cause all sort of problems, as angry as Harry was with her, he’d still likely to something rash if he believed she’d been taken...  
***

“I can’t let you do this, Hermione,” Lupin whispered insistently, they were in the small room behind the kitchen because it was the only empty room they could find to talk. He was amazed she could even think this was a good idea, Harry or Ron he could believe would act without giving proper thought to the matter, but Hermione?

“You don’t really have a choice, Professor,” she pointed out. “I have to go. We need to know what happened that night, and he won’t hurt me.”

“You don’t know that. Our theories of that night, are just that, theories. We still don’t know what really transpired.”

“You admitted you don’t want to see an innocent man punished,” she pointed out.

“I don’t,” he agreed. “I also don’t wish to see an innocent girl walk into a Death Eater’s trap if we’re mistaken about Severus’ innocence.”

“It’s not a trap.”

“I’m going with you,” he replied crossing his arms over his chest. He had given up the idea of changing her mind so he did the only thing he could think of to keep her safe.

“No.” Hermione knew she couldn’t let that happen. “He asked that I not tell anyone else where I was going. If I show up with you, he’ll never tell us anything.”

Lupin sighed. He knew she was right. If Snape trusted her enough to reveal his location and she showed up with someone from the Order he’d retreat and they’d never find out what had happened. Despite Harry’s belief he could locate the horcruxes alone, Lupin didn’t believe that was possible. They simply didn’t know enough about Voldemort, their only real chance was with Snape’s help. “I want you to let me know you’re safe as soon as you see him. Let me know you haven’t walked into a trap.” 

“I will,” she agreed. She’d never admit it out loud but Lupin’s concern was valid, and she had the same fears. She hadn’t been able to see any of his memories with Leglimency, he’d pushed her out as soon as she’d gotten in. The telepathy only let her speak to him, to know his most current thought only. She still didn’t really know anything.


	2. chapters 5-10

**Part five**

“…I expect you to be civil, Draco.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Draco snarled. “You want me to be nice to _her_. It’s a little hypocritical, don’t you think?”

Snape sighed, he’d never admit it to anyone but he was actually looking forward to Miss Granger’s arrival. He’d had about all he could take of Draco’s company. The whining and complaining were wearing thin, and the boy couldn’t seem to talk of anything but dark magic and Quidditch. “I’m not asking you to like the girl, just that you show her the bare minimum of politeness.”

“I won’t cater to a mud…”

“Mr. Malfoy, she is our one chance of getting out of this alive. Of staying out of Azkaban. You will be polite or you will spend the evening in your room, even if I have to lock you in there myself. 

“Fine.” Draco turned and stomped into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. 

Snape checked the time; there was only an hour until the time he’d told her to arrive. Knowing Miss Granger she’d be very prompt. If she was able to get here at all, he knew it would be difficult for her to get out of Headquarters without being found out. Or without someone trying to join her, if she confided in Lupin or Minerva they were likely to suspect a trap and not let her go alone. Not that he’d blame them, he would assume the same thing, why should they trust Dumbledore’s murderer?  
***

“Miss Granger,” Hermione was startled out of her thoughts at the sound of the familiar voice. 

“Hello, Professor.”

He took a step back to allow her to enter, locking and warding the door behind her. “I trust you came alone.” 

“Of course, sir,” she agreed. “I do have to, uh, let Professor Lupin know I’m all right though, that this isn’t a trap.”

“You’re sure it isn’t, then?” He smirked. 

“Yes,” she admitted, and quickly sent a message back to Headquarters. 

When she had finished he led her into the small study, “What is it you want from me?”

“I want to know what happened that night on the tower.”

“Mr. Potter didn’t tell you?”

“Well, yes. I just think, I don’t think Harry really knows what happened. I saw his memories, in the Pensieve, and I think he may not have really seen what he thought he saw, I think something happened, something that Harry didn’t see, or at least realize he saw, between you and Dumbledore.”

Snape felt slight relief wash over him. He was far from able to return to the Order, one child believed that Potter could be wrong, didn’t mean anyone else would see things her way. “I assume Lupin taught you Occlumency as well as Legilmency?” At her nod he continued. “Did you master it?”

“I think so,” she admitted, “I was able to push Professor Lupin…”

Before she could finish her sentence Snape pointed his wand at her and she felt him trying to push into her mind, instinctively she pushed him out. Snape let a small smile escape as he lowered his wand. “Well done, Miss Granger.”

“Will you tell me now, what happened?

He walked over to a small cabinet and removed a pensieve and quickly placed a few memories in it. “I believe this will answer your questions.”

“Did you at least ask the Mudblood to bring…” Draco stopped short when he saw Hermione sitting on the small couch. 

“What do you want, Draco?” Snape snapped, turning to face him. 

“Did she bring food?” Draco asked, ignoring Hermione’s presence and addressing Snape. 

“She is not here to run errands. Conjure something if you’re hungry.”

When the door slammed shut, once again, behind Draco, Hermione looked at Snape nervously. He didn’t like questions; she knew that and he had been…pleasant, for him at least, since she arrived and she didn’t want to push that but if they needed…”Sir, do you not have food here? I could have…”

“I meant what I told him, you are not here to run errands for us. We will be fine on conjured food.”

“But, it’s not very…”

“Do you wish to see these memories or not?” He snapped. “I assure you Mr. Malfoy will not starve to death.”

Hermione nodded and walked over to the Pensieve. Closing her eyes, she leaned toward the swirling memories and felt herself being pulled in, landing a few minutes later in an old house. 

The house was run down and at first she thought it abandoned, except the walls were lined with books, which seemed to be the only expense put into the place. She jumped when she heard a knock on the door, definitely not abandoned then, she thought, as she saw Snape emerge from a hidden doorway behind one of the bookcases. Seconds later, she saw him open the door and Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange walked in. 

Listening to the conversation it struck her just how precarious Snape’s position as a spy had been. Bellatrix obviously didn’t believe him, and Hermione had no doubt that there were others that saw through the stories and lies. She also had her suspicions as to why Voldemort had sent Pettigrew to stay with him. She watched as Snape was manipulated into making an Unbreakable Vow without really knowing what he was agreeing to. Then suddenly the memory changed and she was standing in the Forbidden Forest.

Snape was there again, with Dumbledore this time. They were arguing, Snape was angry, and Dumbledore was insisting that he carry out his promise. 

_“He knows. I believe he has set this all up, to punish Lucius, and for me to have to do it and fail. It’ll give him a reason to kill me.”_

_“He trusts you.”_

_“You assume too much, and I don’t want to do it anymore.”_

_“You gave your word…”_

Hermione suddenly found herself standing on the tower, once again, only this time she arrived just as Snape burst through the door and saw the other Death Eaters, and Draco, wand pointed at Dumbledore.

“Severus…” he looked at Dumbledore and suddenly Hermione’s mind was flooded with images.

Dumbledore and Harry finding the Horcrux… Dumbledore drinking the potion…Harry helping him finish it…Rosemerta…The Dark Mark above the castle…Harry going to find him…Draco bursting through the door…Dumbledore’s wand…

“Severus, please…” she heard the Headmaster’s voice again. Then she was once again in Snape’s mind, hearing something she hadn’t heard before. 

_“I’m dying, Severus.”_

_“I can help you…”_

_“You can’t lose your cover, they need you.”_

_“No.”_

_“Then don’t let Draco do this, he isn’t completely lost yet but if he kills…”_

Hermione watched him raise his wand, and suddenly she was near the gates, watching Harry chase Snape and Draco. She watched as he deftly blocked every one of Harry’s curses and hexes. Watched as they argued, as he told Harry to close his mind…and mouth, watched as he blocked a Cruciatus curse from hitting Harry, telling the other Death Eaters that the Dark Lord wanted him for himself. Then she felt herself being pulled from the Pensieve and landing firmly back in the small study.

“Did you get your answers, Miss Granger?” 

“Yes,” she responded, “No. I don’t know. It was too much. I need time to think.”

“Take the time you need, I just ask that you discuss what you saw with no one,” Snape said. “Not even Lupin.” 

“Of course,” she agreed immediately. Part of her really wanted to go over what she saw with someone, but she understood why it had to be kept secret until they could convince the others. “May I return in a few days to discuss it all with you?” 

He nodded and led her to the door, and watched as she Apparated to make be certain no one was watching her leave, before heading back inside and returning to the study. 

***

Draco quietly pushed the study door closed behind him. Now, he knew where the Pensieve was hidden. He had known Snape had been removing memories each night before going to bed, but he had been unable to figure out where the Pensieve was, until he walked in on the Professor and Granger earlier this evening. What was it Snape didn’t want him to see?

**Part Six**

“What if Dumbledore wanted Snape to kill him,” Hermione suggested, “Would that make any difference to you at all?”

“That’s ridiculous,” Harry snapped, “Why would he want that?”

“I don’t know, Harry. But you said yourself you thought he was dying that night, that the poison was killing him, so isn’t it possible?” She was still trying to work through all she had learned, yet not outright discuss it with anyone. But at the same time she knew she needed to feel out how the others would accept the possibility that Snape wasn’t a Death Eater and while he had killed Dumbledore, maybe there was a reason they didn’t know or understand yet. So far it wasn’t looking like she’d be able to recruit help anytime soon. She needed to find real, concrete proof before she could tell anyone what she’d learned. 

“You weren’t there,” he shouted, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. He enjoyed killing Dumbledore.” 

Taking a calming breath before she spoke she said quietly, “I think you’re wrong. Dumbledore trusted him for a reason. And you said Dumbledore made you give your word to make him drink that poison no matter what, even if it was killing him, right? So if he’d make you promise something like that, why is it impossible to believe that he forced Snape into a similar promise?”

“Why are you defending him?” Ron asked. “Do you really think Harry’s lying?”

“Not lying, Ron,” she turned on him angrily. “You both keep putting words in my mouth. I never said he lied. Harry completely believes he saw what he said he saw. He did see it, but sometimes things aren’t really what we think we see, are they?”

“No, but there are plenty of reasons to believe Snape did it. Harry says he did; No one really knows why Dumbledore trusted him; Snape was a Death Eater,” Ron said ticking off the reasons on his fingers, “Want me to continue?”

“No, I just…” she stopped, the argument was pointless. She learned what she needed to know. “I need to be alone.”

“Fine with me,” Ron and Harry said in unison and stormed out of the library. 

Hermione fell back into a chair; this wasn’t going to be easy. She had suggested the same thing to Professor McGonagall and Tonks and both were quite clear they’d need substantial proof before they’d be willing to accept the theory as well. She had gotten answers in the Pensieve, but none that would help Snape, not if no one else believed her. She also had more questions, she’d have to go back, maybe between them they could find a way to prove his innocence. 

***

Snape set his book on the small table. He hadn’t seen Draco since he had gone to bed the night before. While he was enjoying the silence it was unusual for the boy to stay in his room this long, not when there was complaining to do about the lack of food, and the abundance of boredom. He left his chair and was on his way to check on Draco when there was a hesitant knock on the door. 

Hand tightening on his wand he moved toward the door. Peering through the small peephole he sighed when he saw the top of the familiar bushy hair outside. Pulling the door open he greeted her. “Miss Granger.”

“Professor, I’m sorry I didn’t send a message,” she said as she walked passed him, carrying several bags, “but the house is so crowded I just couldn’t get away from everyone.”

“I meant what I said about not running errands,” he said, taking a few of the bags from her. 

“I know, but you need supplies if you’re going to be here a while.”

Snape nodded his thanks as she followed him to the small kitchen and they began putting away groceries. “I assume you’ve sorted through what you’ve learned.”

“Yes, and I’m afraid it’s not enough,” she sighed, “Well, I’m convinced, but I don’t think anyone else is going to believe me.”

“I didn’t expect they would,” Snape agreed. “Why do you believe me? Why did you even look beyond what Potter told you?”

“Because Harry makes mistakes,” she admitted, “He doesn’t like you, and has been looking for proof that you’re…well, that you’re evil since his first class with you.”

“And when did you decide I wasn’t evil?” 

Hermione sighed, when had she decided that? Had she ever even thought it at all? “I never thought you were evil,” she admitted. “Okay, maybe that time we thought you were cursing Harry during the Quidditch match but that was back in first year. You’re not exactly pleasant, but that doesn’t make you evil.”

“I wish there was some sort of real proof, something everyone could see to prove you’re still loyal. You obviously can’t let everyone into the pensieve to see what happened, it’d be dangerous and they still think you’re a traitor so bringing you to them would just be a bad idea.”

“If there was a way to prove my innocence, do you believe I would’ve stayed locked up here with Mr. Malfoy all these months?” He asked, he was trying to remain polite, the girl was trying to help him after all but he had little patience for foolish thinking that was simply wasting his time.

“I thought you…well, that you favored him, it always seemed that way in school.”

“I did what I had to do, Lucius is a dangerous man,” Snape admitted, “To keep my cover I had to cater to the other Death Eater’s children.”

“Where is he, anyway?” Hermione asked suddenly.

Snape frowned, he had wondered the same thing before she had shown up at the door. “Sulking, I’d assume. Although we should let him know that real food has arrived.” He walked over to the door on the far side of the kitchen, and knocked. When no answer came after several moments he pulled his wand from his pocket, gripping it tightly, and motioned for Hermione to do the same. Pushing the door open slowly he walked into the darkened room to find it empty. 

“Is there anywhere else he could be?”

“Not without my having seen him, no,” Snape answered. He was partially relieved to not be facing a room full of Death Eaters, but on the other hand, if the boy had left, he would either be dead or tortured for information. Draco didn’t have any information though. Did he? He knew the location of this cabin but it wouldn’t do any good coming from him. He knew Snape had been working for the Order but by now they would’ve figured that out on their own. He didn’t know anything else…

The Pensieve…Draco had walked in when he was placing memories in it for Miss Granger. Had he left the cabinet open at that time? Had the boy figured out where he kept it? Had he found the…

“Miss Granger, is the Order Headquarters still at Grimmauld Place?” When she nodded silently he added, “Who is the new Secret Keeper?”

“Professor Lupin,” she replied, “Why?”

“Wormtail may be able to lead them right to Headquarters.”

“How?” 

“Think. They were friends for years,” Snape snapped, “Do you truly believe never in all that time did they discuss the Black family home? All it takes is for Lupin to have once given him…”

Before he could finish his sentence they heard a loud booming sound and the house shook around them. Running to the window he swore under his breath at the fifteen or so Death Eaters surrounding the property. They couldn’t see the house, they only saw the empty lots surrounding it but they could keep firing curses at it until they destroyed everything and they’d be forced into the open. Waving his wand, a thestral appeared in front of them, he quickly sent it on its way with a message. Then grabbed Hermione’s arm. “Hold on.”   
“What are we…” Before she could finish her question she felt herself being pulled away and they disappeared from the room. 

**Part Seven**

Hermione stumbled when Snape let go of her arm, and tried to look around the dark room, but couldn’t see anything. “What happened back there?” She asked deciding it was best to ask the more important questions first. 

“Silence, Miss Granger.” 

Hermione stood in the center of the dark room and tried to focus on him moving through the room, she couldn’t see much but after a few moments she heard a door open and assumed she was alone in the room. The house was protected, he had told her as much in the first message he sent to her so how were they being attacked? Was it the Order or Death Eaters that had found him? Was it her fault? Had Harry or Ron or someone else from Headquarters followed her? Where were they now? Was she trapped here with him until she proved his innocence? It seemed likely since leaving here would attract attention if someone was tracking him. If that was true, how would she convince anyone if she was here, not at headquarters? She blinked into the sudden brightness as the sconces around the room flared to life. 

“We should be safe for now,” Snape said from behind her. “To answer your question, Death Eaters found me. I assume Draco told them the location.” 

“I don’t understand, Sir,” she said carefully. “I thought you were the secret keeper and only you could divulge the location?” 

 

“That is true, assuming the people looking for you are unwilling to harm innocent bystanders,” Snape sighed. “The Dark Lord is not hindered by such morals. They have the general location and would continue firing curses until they forced me out.” 

And killed everyone in their path, Hermione thought to herself. Now she understood what happened, but she still had so many questions and knew he would not answer them endlessly so she needed to choose her questions carefully now. “Was this my fault? Did my contacting you lead them to you?”

“No,” Snape said quietly, “My own carelessness caused this, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave or contact the others, beyond the message I already sent.”

*****

Lupin faced the people gathered around the small kitchen table. Everyone was talking at once, and no one was happy. He had known the second the Patronus came through the door that its message wasn’t going to be good. And now he had told everyone else and chaos had broken out. 

“What else did he say, Lupin?” Moody asked after silencing the others.

“Nothing,” Lupin sighed. “Just that he’d been found and had to flee but Hermione was with him and safe.”

“It’s a trap,” Harry and Ron shouted together. 

“I can’t believe you let her go to him,” Harry said angrily. “He killed Dumbledore and you let her go and meet him. Now she’s missing and he’s probably taken her to Voldemort and…”

“Miss Granger’s theories have some rationale, Potter,” Moody said. “And I don’t believe Snape would’ve contacted Lupin had he intended to hurt her.”

“But he knew we’d worry when she didn’t return,” Ron pointed out.

“But we wouldn’t have known where to look,” Lupin offered. “I knew she was meeting him but not where. He could’ve killed her or given her to Voldemort without telling us anything.”

“So what do we do then?” Ginny asked. “Just sit here and wait for her to come back or be murdered?”

“Of course not,” Moody said, “We need to continue what we’ve been doing; finding a way to stop Voldemort; we’ll just look for her at the same time.”

Lupin raised his hand to stop the others from objecting again, “I’m afraid for now we have to trust Snape to keep her safe.” 

 

*****

Hermione had managed to get a little more information from Snape before he became too impatient to answer more questions. He had been pacing the small study they had Apparated to for the last hour while she had quietly wandered through the small house. The tiny kitchen was well stocked and there were two bedrooms as well as the study and an even smaller sitting area. Normally she’d be thrilled with a study with two walls of floor to ceiling books but today she was more concerned with how they’d get out this situation without one or both of them ending up dead. There had to be a way to, if not prove his innocence, at least convince the Order he wasn’t a traitor. 

Stopping Voldemort would convince them, of course. But that wasn’t possible, the prophecy was quite clear on that, Harry had to do it. Nor could he walk into headquarters and allow everyone into his pensieve, even if he wanted to, it wasn’t practical, and she wouldn’t want everyone rummaging through her thoughts. She had to think of something and quickly. She knew once Harry found out she was with Snape he and Ron would come searching for them and could possibly end up leading Death Eaters right to their door, or get themselves killed in their carelessness. She loved her friends, but planning wasn’t their strongest trait. 

While lost in her thoughts she wandered over to the book-lined walls and mindlessly chose a book on dark magic. She glanced at the title again and shrugged, it wasn’t what she’d usually read but maybe it would spark an idea. She curled her legs under her and the small sofa in front of the fire and began reading. 

**Part Eight**

“Professor, can I ask a question?” 

Snape looked up from the book he had been reading and looked at Hermione. They had been in this house for three days and this had been their routine the entire time. She spent her days pouring over books, mostly about dark magic, and occasionally she’d ask him questions about something she’d read. Her need to know and understand everything that had annoyed him so much during her school years was now what was making her a better companion than Draco had been. She didn’t complain about their circumstances or ask inane questions out of boredom. She simply sat at on the sofa and read quietly. 

“Yes.” 

“To create a Horcrux do you have to murder someone significant or will any death work?” She asked without looking up from her book.

Snape frowned and raised his eyebrow in question. This wasn’t the first question about horcruxes she had asked without offering an explanation as to why she was studying them. For a moment he missed the overly eager girl that always felt the need to show off her knowledge with lengthy explanations. “Are you considering immortality, Miss Granger?” 

“Immortality?” She looked up from her book surprised by the question. “Of course not, why would you think…”

“This isn’t your first question about horcruxes,” he pointed out closing his book. “I’m afraid I’m not inclined to answer any more questions on this subject if you don’t explain your interest. It isn’t an area of study you should be pursuing.”

It was Hermione’s turn to frown. Harry had said, many times, that Dumbledore had told him to tell no one else about the lessons, about the horcruxes. She had given her word she wouldn’t say anything but everything was different now. Dumbledore was gone, she was in hiding with Snape and destroying the horcruxes may be their only hope for freedom. “Can I explain over lunch, it’s a rather long story?” 

*****

“Are you really just going to sit here and do nothing?” Ron asked angrily, slamming the book he’d been staring at for over an hour closed.

“We need to find the horcruxes.”

“So we just leave Hermione to that murderer?”

“No,” Harry said, closing his own book. “But I don’t know where to look for her either. The others are looking for her as much as they can and we can’t go out because Voldemort is controlling too much right now and we can’t help Hermione if we get ourselves killed.”

“So we do nothing?” 

“No, we find the horcruxes, destroy them, and then find Voldemort. The faster we do that the faster we find Hermione.”

“What if it’s already too late?” Ron asked. “What if he’s killed her?

“Ron,” Harry said quietly, having been trying not to give in to the same thoughts, “We have to hope that Moody and Lupin are right, that Snape isn’t going to hurt her and that’s why he contacted us. And we need to work on getting this done, without Hermione’s help it’s going to take so much longer than we’d thought.”

Ron sighed, defeated, “And now we don’t have the time to spare.”

*****

Hermione set the plate of sandwiches on the table and sat down across from Snape. She picked one up and placed it on her own plate after taking a bite waiting for him to do the same before speaking. 

“We weren’t supposed to talk to anyone about this,” Hermione explained. “Dumbledore made Harry promise but he’s gone and I think this might be the only way to get us out of here and I really don’t think the boys can do it on their own and…”

“Miss Granger,” Snape interrupted, not wanting to listen to the endless nervous blathering that was obviously going to happen. “What didn’t the Headmaster want you to talk about?”

“Horcruxes,” She answered before taking another bite of her sandwich. “He spent all last year taking Harry into his pensieve and showing him memories from himself and others about Voldemort. He told Harry he believed that Voldemort had discovered how to make horcruxes and that he believed there were six of them, and they’d need to be destroyed before Harry could kill Voldemort.” 

Snape didn’t say anything for several minutes. He’d had no idea about any of it. When it came to secrets both Voldemort and Dumbledore were masters. It made sense, why Voldemort had changed, why he hadn’t died when he attacked the Potters. It explained some things about Dumbledore as well, his frequent disappearances last year, his…

“Miss Granger, do you happen to know if the Headmaster located and tried to destroy any of the Horcruxes?”

“He destroyed one,” she answered as she began clearing away her plate. “A ring. And Tom Riddle’s diary was one, Harry destroyed that our second year. They found another, or thought they did but it was a fake. A locket.” 

“And do you know what the other three are and where they’re located?” 

Hermione set her dish on the towel next to the sink and turned her attention to him. Was he implying what she thought he was? “Are you going to help me find them, then? I’m sure if we destroy them we can convince the others that you are still on our side.” 

“I didn’t say that,” Snape said. “I don’t know that this is a good idea. You’re a child and I don’t want to put you in any more danger than is strictly necessary.”

“I’m not a child,” she argued, immediately defensive. “I’m seventeen so I’m of age. And after everything I’ve been through in the last six years I think I lost the innocence that comes with childhood long ago.”

He nodded without speaking. She was correct, of course. She had stood up to, and fought, Death Eaters more than twice her age both at the Ministry and at Hogwarts without flinching. Treating her as a child was unfair. Looking for the horcruxes, assuming she was correct about their existence, would keep them on the move which was probably safer than staying here. “What do you know of the other horcruxes, Miss Granger?”

“Not a lot, really,” she admitted dismally. “Dumbledore wasn’t sure, I suppose but he had some guesses.”

“Let’s hear them, then?” 

“He believed that Voldemort believed he had a strong connection to the school and would’ve tried to make a Horcrux out of things connected to the founders. There was Slytherin’s locket, the one that turned out to be fake. And Harry said something about a cup owned by Helga Hufflepuff. Dumbledore said he was sure there was nothing of Gryffindor’s because he owned the only remaining piece. So that leaves Ravenclaw, but we didn’t know what.”

“And the last?” Snape prompted. 

“Harry said it was a snake, I can’t remember the name though.” 

“Nagini?” 

“Yes that’s it,” she said a smile spreading across her face.

“So we need to figure out where the locket ended up, and where a cup owned by Hufflepuff is hidden, and what relic of Ravenclaw’s could be missing.”

“I know it sounds like a lot but…”

“If we’re going to do this,” Snape said softly, “We need to gather as much information as possible before leaving here. And we need to be prepared, I’m not Potter, we are not heading out on some grand adventure without a plan and proper training.”

“Of course not, Sir.” 

“Then I suggest you show me what you’ve already found on horcruxes so we can begin.”

**Part Nine**

“Do you truly trust Severus?” Lupin asked staring intently at Moody. “All evidence does point toward him still being a Death Eater.”

“I don’t trust anyone,” Moody pointed out, pouring a second cup of tea. “I do believe that Miss Granger’s theories had some merit however. Dumbledore’s hand was cursed and if he drank poison as Potter said anything is possible.”

“The boys are getting restless stuck here all the time. They want to go look for Hermione, or complete this mission Dumbledore apparently asked Harry to complete. I don’t know how much longer we can keep them here.” 

“Do we know what they’re supposed to be doing?” Moody asked. 

“Finding something I believe, but they won’t say what and to be honest my faith in their ability to safely complete any sort of mission from Dumbledore without Hermione’s assistance is rather low.”

“I agree, but they’re of age, we can’t stop them,” Moody agreed. “The best we can do is get them to allow one of use to assist them.”

*****

Hermione watched him quietly for several minutes. She was supposed to be going through _Hogwarts, a History_ , looking for some clue of an important item belong to Rowena Ravenclaw, while he read through the books on horcruxes. She admitted she was bored with her reading. She’d read it before, more than once, she was sure she wouldn’t find anything, but it’s what he wanted her to do. She knew he was right; of course, he could go through the dark magic books faster than she could because he knew more about the subject. She just wished she felt like she was doing more to help. 

“Is there a reason you’re staring at me?” The tone of his voice pulled her from her thoughts quickly. It was a tone she knew well. The tone that said he was annoyed with what he deemed a dunderhead. But why was she staring at him? She’d been doing that a lot since they started this joint project. He was different here than he had been at Hogwarts. Not that he was suddenly outgoing and happy, but he was less unpleasant. They had spent the last two days researching in the morning and the afternoons and evenings brewing potions that he felt may be necessary for them to keep on hand and perfecting her nonverbal spells. They really talked very little which was different for her, the boys liked to talk all the time, but not all together unpleasant either. 

“I’m sorry, I was just thinking,” Hermione said pulling her attention back to the book. 

“If you have a thought that may help us, Miss Granger, enlighten me.” 

“I don’t, sir,” she admitted. “I was just thinking how different you are from the boys.”

Snape turned to look at her again, this time she immediately recognized the angry sneer she had seen so often in class. “Thank Merlin, you consider me different than those two idiots.” 

Hermione opened her mouth to speak and closed again without saying a word. She knew how he felt about Harry and Ron and comparing him to them in any way was a bad idea and arguing would only make it worse. “Sir, the only reference to anything of Rowena Ravenclaw’s I can find at all is a diadem but it’s been missing for centuries. Possibly since before her death according to some rumors.” 

“Lost diadem?” Snape asked frowning. He had heard stories about it over the years but he had never considered it of great consequence since as she had said, rumor was it’d been missing for centuries. 

“Yes sir, it’s like a…”

“I know what it is,” He snapped. “The book makes no mention of exactly when it went missing, or where it might be?” 

“No.” She flipped back through a few pages and scanned a few paragraphs. “Just that it’s been missing and that it increased the intelligence of the wearer. It also says she may have known it was gone and misled people to believe she still had it.”

“Well, it seems unlikely the Dark Lord could have it then,” Snape responded, but he may have found it, if he truly wanted items belonging to the founders, he wouldn’t have been easily deterred.”

Hermione rubbed her temples, if Voldemort had really found and used something the Wizarding world believed had been missing for centuries they had little chance to find it. She needed to think about something else, something that was closer to being accomplished. “Have you found anything about destroying horcruxes?” 

Snape moved from his chair to pace the room for several minutes before answering her. The answer wasn’t a good one, but she needed to know the truth about what they were up against. “I have,” he finally answered. “You said Harry destroyed the diary with a Basilisk fang, and Dumbledore destroyed the ring but you don’t know how?”

At her nod, he continued, “A Horcrux can only be destroyed by something that cannot be magically repaired. Simply smashing it or blowing it up will not work. It must be destroyed beyond repair.”

“Basilisk venom has no antidote.” 

Snape nodded his approval and continued again. “Which is why Potter was successful, however we don’t have stores of Basilisk venom handy, and the other most foolproof method is Fiendfyre.”

“Fiendfyre is risky isn’t it?” Hermione asked startled, she had read about it but, “There’s no way to stop it is there? There isn’t a counter spell and it spreads so fast and it chases…”

“I’m aware of what it is, Miss Granger,” Snape held up a hand to stop her, “And you are correct it really isn’t an option, not if we want to survive and not hurt anyone else. What we need to figure out is how the Headmaster destroyed the ring.”

**Part ten**

“Crucio!” Hermione shouted and watched the engorged spider writhe in pain for several seconds before dropping her wand. 

Snape raised his own wand at the spider and in a flash of green light the spider fell, dead, to the tabletop. “Well done, Miss Granger,” he said, both impressed and slightly frightened by how quickly the girl had picked up the curse. 

“It’s not a spell I had ever hoped to master,” she sighed. “I don’t like hurting living things.” 

Snape didn’t respond immediately. He understood her problem with the curse, but at the same time was relieved she was able to master it. Many, possibly most, witches and wizards couldn’t perform it. As he had repeatedly told Potter, you had to mean it, and not everyone had it in them. On the other hand, he shouldn’t have been too surprised, he’d heard stories about Hermione Granger for six years; she was a force to be reckoned with. She was the third of the Golden Trio that accomplished the most, the one most feared when crossed. “If this plan is going to work we’ll be putting ourselves on the firing line, Bellatrix won’t hesitate to use it, and we can’t either if we’re to survive this.”

She knew he was right. It had to be done. She had to be as ruthless as the people she’d be fighting and that meant doing things she wouldn’t normally dream of doing. She was surprised by his sympathy though; she had expected to hear him sneering at her for her Gryffindor sense of fairness not an explanation that came close to comforting her. “

“We’ll be able to leave soon,” he continued when she didn’t speak, “I have one more potion that should be completed in the next day or so, then we can head out. Until then continue practicing that curse, as well as non-verbal spells.”

“Do you really believe we’ll be in that much danger?” She asked softly. 

“You saw the Prophet that I was able to get yesterday,” he pointed out, “The Dark Lord has taken over both the Ministry and Hogwarts, we’re walking into the fire.”

“There’s no other way?” 

“Not that I can see. The best way to find out how Albus destroyed the ring is to ask him, and the Grey Lady is our best chance at information about the diadem.”

“It’s just so…” she stopped, tears in her eyes, not sure what to say, “I’m frightened.”

Snape stared at her for several seconds before answering. He really didn’t know how to deal with a crying woman; especially not one as strong as the woman standing across from him. Despite the animosity and insults over the years she was one of the brightest and strongest witches he’d ever encountered, both magically and emotionally, she’d dealt with more than anyone her age should ever have to and to see her crying was not something he’d expected. He was never someone anyone would turn to for comfort, even as Head of House his Slytherin students would come to him with academic issues, or problems but never for hurt feelings or anything that required comfort, they’d generally turn to another teacher for those things. Sighing he pulled her onto the couch next to him. “I would be concerned if you weren’t frightened, or if the Cruciatus curse was easy for you, Hermione. You’re frightened because you know it’s dangerous, that this is not just another adventure you and your friends are embarking on to annoy me.” 

“We didn’t usually do it to annoy you,” she said smiling slightly. 

“And torturing someone shouldn’t be easy,” he continued, ignoring her comment, “if it was easy I’d say you were on the wrong side of this war. The fact that you can do it at all is a testament to your strength, and intelligence. You’re willing to do what has to be done even if you don’t like it.” 

She wiped her eyes and looked at him. She saw concern in his eyes, not something she was used to seeing from him. This past week had shown her a completely different side to her Professor. She didn’t see the cruel man that in turns ignored and insulted her. The man sitting next to her was intelligent, and quiet, and was truly concerned about her. She smiled slightly remembering the little crush she’d had on him back in the summer before fifth year when she’d first realized he was a member of the Order and was risking so much to help them. His general unpleasantness after they returned to school naturally killed that crush, but now she was starting to see that man again, the one she’d seen only briefly that summer. “Thank you.” 

“Don’t thank me, just continue to practice, perfect it, so that you can keep yourself alive,” Snape responded. 

He watched her as she quietly gathered the books she’d been reading and her wand and headed to her bedroom to put them away. He wasn’t sure taking a child, no she wasn’t a child anymore; she’d been right about that. She was a woman, eighteen years old, and had experienced a lifetime of pain already. They’d worked well together for the past week, researching, planning, and preparing. She’d mastered every spell he’d taught her, and could do most without speaking. She made the necessary potions flawlessly. They’d even spent a few evenings discussing books they’d read and potions and spells she’d hoped to master before leaving school. They had more in common that he’d thought possible. 

“Professor?” Hermione’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, she was standing in the doorway of the small study in her pajamas looking at him expectantly.

“Yes?” 

“I have a question,” she said slowly, not sure he’d answer. “Why were you so hard on everyone in class? No matter how hard we worked you always wanted more.”

Snape nodded, “I didn’t push everyone. Some students will never be proficient in potions, or defense, although I did push everyone harder in defense.”

“Neville?” She asked, raising an eyebrow in question, “You truly thought he’d be proficient in potions?” 

“Of course not,” he let a small smile cross his features, “what do you know of the prophecy?” 

“Just that it said they both couldn’t survive,” she admitted.

“That prophecy didn’t name Potter, specifically,” he explained, “It could’ve just as easily have been Longbottom. He needed to be stronger, in general. He needed to learn to defend himself. To not become flustered under the slightest bit of stress, he was still in danger if the Dark Lord ever were to realize that Neville could’ve been the one in the prophecy.”

“And me?” She asked, “You’re the only professor that I could never earn a perfect mark from.”

“You were an exceptional student, Miss Granger,” he answered, “you still are. All of your instructors praised you, everyone from McGonagall to Sinistra thought you perfect, you needed to be challenged. Would you have tried as hard if I had joined in the Hermione Granger fan club? Would you have tried to brew Polyjuice your second year? Would you have even known what it was if I hadn’t constantly pushed you to work harder?”

She was quiet for a moment and then spoke, “You’re probably right, I worked harder for Potions than any other class, and it was because I wanted that perfect score from you, I wanted you to admit that I was good at it, that I could brew flawlessly. So again, thank you.”

“You aren’t going to ask how I knew about the Polyjuice?”

“I’m assuming my turning into a cat gave it away,” she smiled. “I still can’t believe I was that careless. I do wonder why you never said anything; I probably could’ve been expelled.”

“I considered it,” he admitted, “I didn’t want to see you expelled, you really do have a brilliant mind, and considering how many I teach that are completely incompetent I was impressed to have a student so skilled. I do admit however; to being relieved you were in Gryffindor, not Slytherin and were therefore Minerva’s problem.”

“Well, I was almost sorted to Slytherin, actually,” she admitted. “I’m not really sure how I ended up in Gryffindor, in the beginning the hat was between Slytherin and Ravenclaw.”

“Not everyone fits easily into any one house,” he said. “We really should turn in now, we have to finish that potion in the morning and make sure we’ve covered everything in our plan.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” she smiled and stood up. 

He stood as well and followed her from the room as they headed up the steps to their bedrooms he found himself wondering when the little know-it-all child he’d met seven years ago had become such an attractive and intelligent woman. Then he quickly reminded himself that she was half his age and his student.

Hermione pushed her bedroom door closed after wishing him one least goodnight. She needed to get a grip on this returning crush. Rationally she knew it was because they were being thrown together in a life and death situation, and that he was her professor and would never seen beyond the little girl he’d met all those years ago in Potions class. She’d think about Ron, she’d liked him for so long, although deep down she’d always also known they weren’t a good match, she needed someone who could converse on more than just Quidditch and Chess.


	3. chapters 11-13

Part Eleven

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Snape asked. He still wasn’t completely convinced he shouldn’t go alone. Hogwarts was under death eater control. The Ministry, also under death eater control, was putting muggle-borns on trial for stealing their magic and he was planning on taking an eighteen year old muggle-born into at least one, possibly both places. 

“I’m sure,” she responded, checking her purse once again before pulling the strap over her head so it slung diagonally across her body so she wouldn’t drop it. “And I have to go, there are too many things you’ll need and you’d look silly with a purse.” 

“Miss Granger,” Snape frowned at her, “this is not the time for games. The Carrows are dangerous and we’re going to have to get into the headmaster’s office undetected.”

“I know,” she sobered immediately, “I’m sorry. I’m ready.” 

“Remember, if anything happens,”

“Go to the Room of Requirement, I know.” 

Without another word he grabbed her arm and twisted his body. She felt the familiar tug of apparition and closed her eyes. A few seconds later she opened her eyes to find herself in a dark alley, she could see Hogsmeade on one end, and the Forbidden Forest on the other. An alarm was sounding and the she could see people pouring out of the Three Broomsticks in front of her. 

“Damn, this way,” Snape said, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the forest, and behind a tree several feet into the dark woods. 

“What was that?” She whispered, peering around the tree to see all the people starting to file back into the pub after not finding anything. 

“Alarm,” he replied. “They must have set a curfew; easiest way to enforce it is with an alarm. Always thought it would’ve been useful at the school as well, so let’s hope they haven’t put one there.”

“How are we going to get in?” Hermione asked. “You never did explain it.” 

“The Weasley twins were not the only ones that knew of secret passages,” he admitted. “Although I must admit Potter’s map would be rather useful right now.” 

***

Hermione looked around her as they emerged in a deserted hallway she was sure she’d never seen before. “Where are we?” 

“A long deserted part of the dungeons,” Snape whispered, “it’s essentially hidden by a version of the Fidelius charm. Only Dumbledore and I knew about it. Follow me.”

 

Hermione followed behind him, they had used the Disillusionment charm before leaving the tunnel but it didn’t make her any less anxious. She had often been glad that the boys chose to leave her behind for much of their rule-breaking excursions over the years. “Would it be better to split up?” She whispered. “It could be faster.”

“Faster yes,” he replied without stopping or turning to look at her, “but more dangerous.” He stopped in front of a blank wall and tapped his wand against one of the stones, revealing a doorway and a set of stairs. “Headmaster’s office.” 

She followed him up the stairs silently. None of this had been on Harry’s map, which meant the hallway was new, as was this entrance to the office, or it was very well hidden. Snape stopped when they reached a portrait halfway up the wall, muttering something quietly. The man in the portrait disappeared and returned a few minutes later. “The office is empty, although I’m not certain you’re welcome anymore.” 

“We need to speak to Albus,” Snape offered as he walked away, Hermione still trailing behind. When he reached the door at the top he extinguished his wand and motioned for her to do the same. He pushed the door open slightly and peered around it and found it empty, so he pushed it open the rest of the way. 

Hermione sighed, relieved when the sconces on the wall lit immediately on their entry. Several of the portraits feigned sleep, while others stared shocked at their presence. “Severus, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore’s portrait said happily, before turning his attention to Headmaster Dippet,” We need to be sure no one enters.” Dippet and several other headmasters moved out of view in their portraits before Dumbledore continued. “I see you found your answers, Miss Granger.”

“Most of them, yes,” she answered. “But I, we, have new ones.”

“We need to know how you destroyed the ring,” Snape said abruptly. Years working with Dumbledore had taught him that politeness would only slow them down. “Quickly before we’re caught.”

“So you found Professor Snape did not murder me as you feared?” Dumbledore asked Hermione, ignoring Snape’s question. 

“Yes sir, you asked him to do it,” she explained, “but we really do need to know about the ring.” 

“Yes of course, is Harry not destroying the horcruxes himself?” 

“I don’t know, Sir,” Hermione answered. “I was with Professor Snape and we were attacked and the only way I can think of to prove to everyone that he isn’t a death eater is to destroy the horcruxes so Harry can kill…”

Before she could finish the explanation Headmaster Dippet appeared in his portrait and announced that Alecto Carrow was on her way up. 

“The sword,” Dumbledore answered. “Take the sword.” 

Snape grabbed the sword from the wall and then grabbed Hermione’s arm pulling her back to the hidden door they used. “Thank you, Albus,” he said as the door closed behind them, just as the door on the opposite wall was opening. 

They ran down the stairs, not speaking until they reached the bottom. “That was close,” Hermione said, trying to catch her breath.

“Too close, it’s a hazard of needing information from Albus I’m afraid. Will this fit in your bag?” He asked, holding the sword toward her. 

“I think so.” She took the sword and slowly pushed it into her bag, once again glad she had taken the time to learn this particular spell. “How do we find the Grey Lady?”

“Ask the Bloody Baron,” Snape said matter of factly, once again placing himself under a disillusionment charm. 

Part Twelve

“I hate to ask this,” Hermione whispered as she followed Snape through the empty corridors of the dungeon, “but won’t they notice that the sword is missing?”

“Eventually, yes,” he admitted. “It depends a great deal on the importance the Carrows place in it. It could be weeks, or just minutes before they notice, so we must hurry.”

“There he is,” Hermione said, pointing to the transparent figure several feet in front of them. 

Snape nodded and moved quickly up to the ghost, afraid to call out to him. It wasn’t beyond possibility that someone was sneaking around down here and he didn’t want to risk being caught. “Baron,” he whispered when they were close enough. 

“Severus?” 

“Yes,” Snape agreed, raising his wand and removing the disillusion charm from himself but not Hermione, who remained silent. “We need information.” 

“You are not a popular figure around here,” the Baron pointed out. “Neither side is fond of you at the moment.” Then eyes narrowing, “Who is ‘we’?”

Snape considered not answering, but before he could decide Hermione spoke, “It’s me, Sir. Hermione Granger.”

The Bloody Baron nodded and asked, “I know very little being stuck in this castle, what can I help you with?”

“We need information about Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem,” Snape said, glancing around to make sure they were still alone. 

“The Carrows don’t like me any more than the students, and this is still my favorite hallway,” the Baron responded, seeing Snape’s nervous glances, “no one will interrupt us. I know very little, I’m afraid. Helena had it at one time but…”

Hermione frowned, “Is there a way to talk to this Helena?” 

The Bloody Baron nodded. “I’ll get her. Wait here.”

Before either could agree or disagree he had disappeared through the wall. Snape recast the disillusionment charm on himself and leaned against a wall. “Helena is the Grey Lady, Miss Granger,” he whispered, seeing the confusion on her face. She was Rowena Ravenclaw’s daughter.”

“Oh,” she frowned. “I didn’t know that. How did you know the Bloody Baron would be able to help?”

“It’s a story for another time,” he said, as the pair of ghosts came through the wall and stopped in front of them.

“Why do you need to know about the diadem?” The Grey Lady asked, watching Hermione carefully, “You are not a Ravenclaw, or even a student any longer. And from what I’ve heard of you did not need such an item to succeed.”

Hermione blushed at the compliment but quickly explained why they were looking for it. “Unless there’s another item belonging to your mother…”

The Grey Lady frowned before answering. She explained what she knew of the diadem; where she had hidden it so long ago. She answered the question Hermione had about why Snape wanted to see the Bloody Baron. “I’ve only told one other person this story in all the years I’ve been in this castle,” she finished.

“Tom Riddle?” Snape asked. Already knowing the answer, but needing the confirmation. He let out a soft sigh at her nod. “Do you know where it is now?” 

“I do not,” she said sadly, “I wish I could be of more help; so many are being hurt. The students are frightened.”

“Thank you,” Hermione smiled. “At least we know we’re looking for the right thing now.” 

The Grey Lady started to speak when Peeves came flying through the wall. “They know you’re here,” he said urgently. “They know the sword is gone.” 

“How did you…?” Snape began before being interrupted by the Baron.

“Leave, Severus,” he said, “You can’t afford to be caught or Dumbledore’s fight is over.” 

“We’ll make sure they don’t know it was you,” the Grey Lady added. 

Nodding Snape grabbed Hermione’s arm and pulled her out of the hall and back toward the hidden hallway they had entered the castle through. They passed several Slytherin students wandering the halls; fortunately they were unnoticed and made it out of the building. Snape continued to run until they reached the gates. Once they were safely out he stopped and looked at her for the first time since Peeves warning. “Are you all right?”

“Out of breath, but yes,” she said, trying to catch her breath. Nodding he took her arm once again and apparated them back to the cottage they were using.

***

Back in the safety of the cottage, Snape quickly checked all the wards to make sure they were still in place before returning to Hermione. “We need to find someplace safe and easy to access to keep the sword,” he said.

“Any ideas?” 

“I’m afraid not. For now, perhaps keeping it in your bag is the safest option. If you don’t mind?” 

 

Hermione wasn’t sure it was the safest option but for lack of something better it would work, she could keep her bag with her so if they had to apparate she’d have it. “That’s fine,” she agreed. “Do you have any ideas on where to look for the diadem, the cup, or the real locket?” 

 

Snape sighed and sat on the sofa, motioning her to join him. It was late and they should probably sleep and have this discussion in the morning, but he doubted either of them would be able to sleep, so they’d go over what they knew, decide their next course of action.

Hermione shook her head. “I can’t sit, I like to pace,” she said. “Do want any tea or anything?”

“No,” he said before turning his attention to the horcruxes. “What do we know? Two have been destroyed, that’s the ring and diary.” 

“Right,” she agreed. “That leaves the locket, the cup, the diadem, and the snake.”

“Well, we know where the snake is, but let’s assume we can’t do anything about it for now, what do we know about the cup?”

Hermione took a deep breath as she composed a list in her mind of what she knew. She liked working like this, the boys always wanted to act first and she hated that. She liked making a plan, knowing what was going to happen. She liked working with Snape. “It belonged to Hufflepuff; it’s golden, Harry said. And Tom Riddle killed a woman and took it after discovering she had it while working for Borgin & Burkes.”

“But we don’t know what he did with it after that, other than he’d find someplace safe to store it,” he added. “The diadem?”

“Just what we learned tonight. It was in Albania.” 

“But it probably isn’t now,” Snape countered. “He went to Albania after killing the Potters; he wouldn’t have left it there. Not when he was so weak.” 

“So where did he go after that?” Hermione asked, trying to look at it logically.

“He came back within Quirrell, so he was almost exclusively at Hogwarts that whole year,” Snape said. “But where could they have hidden it. Ravenclaw students have been trying to find that thing for centuries. It would have to be well hidden.”

A thought was stuck in Hermione’s mind, an idea, but she couldn’t quite pull it out. There was something Harry had told her; something in Hogwarts that was the key. She didn’t want to mention it until she came up with a clearer memory of what she was thinking of. 

When she didn’t say anything, Snape continued, “That leaves the locket. Tell me what you know of the locket.”

 

“Harry and Dumbledore went to this cave to retrieve it. The night he…” Hermione stopped; she didn’t need to say it or to bring back an awful memory. “He drank the poison and they returned with what they thought was the locket. But later, when Harry opened it, it was a fake. It had been replaced and there was a note inside. I don’t remember what it said but it was signed R.A.B.” 

Snape was silent for several moments. She had obviously tried to avoid mentioning Dumbledore’s death and he was grateful, but unused to people worrying about his feelings. “R.A.B? You don’t remember anything else from the note?”

“I wrote it down once; let me see if I have it,” she began searching through her bag, “here it is.” She held out a scrap of paper to him.

_To the Dark Lord_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more._

_R.A.B_

Snape stared at the paper, eyes narrowing. He’d heard rumors but it was so long ago and no one really knew what had happened but it would explain it. “I think I know who took the Horcrux. But I don’t see how we can get to it.”

 

Part 13

“Are you certain it was him?” Amycus Carrow asked Draco. “You’re sure it was Snape?”

Draco hesitated before answering. He had wanted to be safe, wanted to quit hiding and had done what he thought he had to do to achieve that. He wasn’t in hiding anymore but he wasn’t free either. The Dark Lord had decided against killing him for not completing his task but he had forced his return to Hogwarts so that he could ‘complete his education’. He had no illusions that that he was here because the Dark Lord wanted him watched and didn’t trust his mother to do so. “I can’t be certain,” he said nervously, “It was dark and only a second before he disillusioned himself.”

“Did he have the sword?” 

“I…I don’t know,” Draco answered truthfully. He had not seen anything in Snape’s hand, but it was definitely Snape he had seen. He just wasn’t ready to turn his former teacher over to the Dark Lord. At one time being a Death Eater had been important to him, but the deeper into the Dark Lord’s circle he got the less he liked it. His views on muggle-borns hadn’t changed, but he wasn’t sure terrorizing the entire Wizarding World was right either. Severus Snape had saved his life by killing Dumbledore and taking him away; he couldn’t ignore that and ensure his death. 

“Fine,” Amycus snapped. “You better be telling us the truth Draco. The Dark Lord is still unhappy with you.” 

“I’m telling you all I know,” Draco insisted. “I came to you, if I was going to lie, why not just keep my mouth shut? No one knew I had seen anything.”

“Return to your common room,” he said, “I need to continue the search.”

***

“Professor?” Hermione whispered pushing the bedroom door opened. “Professor, are you awake?”

Snape sat up, squinting at the light coming through the window. He reached for his wand at the same time, pointing it in the direction of the voice that had interrupted his sleep.

“Sir, it’s me,” Hermione said nervously. Nervous because one of the most powerful wizards she knew was pointing a wand at her and flustered because she found herself staring at his naked chest. She didn’t know why this shocked her, it wasn’t the first male chest she’d seen, summers at the Burrow and at Grimmauld Place surrounded by Weasley males and ensured that, and she had barged into his bedroom, but it was doing nothing to dampen the renewed crush on the man in front of her. 

“Miss Granger?” He asked, eyes focusing on the girl, woman, in front of him. She wasn’t a child anymore, for many reasons, but it was all the more clear with her standing in front of him in the muggle pajamas she had picked up when they ventured into town to buy supplies. Lowering his wand he asked, “What time is it?”

“Around eight,” she answered. 

“Since you don’t seem to be in any imminent danger from death eaters, nor do you appear to be ill or injured,” he said, frowning at her. “Would you care to explain what was so urgent to drive you to wake me only two hours after going to bed?”

“I’m-I’m,” she stuttered, “sorry, I really hadn’t thought…I’ll come back later.”

“You’ve already woken me,” he snapped, leaving his bed and reaching for a bathrobe. “What do you want?”

“Well, I think I know where the locket might be,” she said quickly, “or at least who might have it or know where it is.” 

Snape raised an eyebrow in question. “And where did you come by this information?” 

“It’s been nagging at me for days really. I knew there’d been something about a locket before and I just finally realized what it was.” 

This obviously was going to be a long conversation and one he’d rather not have with a teen-age girl in her night clothes. Although he wasn’t quite ready to admit, even to himself, that he found her distracting, so he told himself that it was simply because it was inappropriate. “Obviously neither of us will be getting any sleep this morning so why don’t we dress and discuss this downstairs.”

“Yes, Sir,” she said and quickly left him alone. 

***

Hermione was setting two plates on the table as Snape walked into the small kitchen. She had thrown on a pair of jeans and a sweater and came down to prepare breakfast as quickly as she could, her mind still racing over the possible ways to get to the locket now that she had an idea of where it might be. 

"You didn't need to go any trouble," Snape said, sitting across from her at the table and looking at the eggs, bacon, and toast on the plate in front of him. "We could've simply had toast." 

"If we aren’t going to get any sleep we might as well have a decent breakfast," she answered, picking up her own fork. They ate in silence for several minutes before she decided to bring up the subject that was preventing their sleep. "We found a locket when we were cleaning at Headquarters once."

"When?" Snape asked. 

"Well, it was before Sirius died," she sighed, "But last year on a Hogsmeade weekend we saw Mundungus and he was selling stuff that Harry was sure he'd taken from Sirius' house." 

 

Snape finished the last of his breakfast, considering this news. He certainly wouldn't put it past Mundungus to steal from Headquarters, trying to sell in Hogsmeade wasn't smart since it was likely Potter or even Minerva or Albus would see him, but no one accused the man of having common sense. If he had the locket, they could probably get to him. They would just need to figure out a way to locate him. 

 

"Do you think he has it?" Hermione asked. 

 

"No," Snape admitted. "The Order has been back there for months now, so whatever he had he'd have taken before then, and would not have held onto it very long. However, he will likely know who has it now."

 

"So, we need to find him, then?" 

 

"Yes, any idea where to look?" Snape asked. It was a long shot that she'd have any ideas but it wouldn't hurt to ask. 

 

"No," Hermione sighed. She stood up and began clearing the dirty dishes and placing them into the sink. After setting the last of them down she turned and looked at Snape again, "I know who might though, but we'd need to get a message into Hogwarts."


	4. Chapters 14-15

**Part 14**

 

"We can't keep sitting here doing nothing while Hermione is in danger," Ron said, slamming the book he'd been reading closed. "I know Moody and Lupin want us to keep researching but they don't even know what we're looking for and, _he's_ got her."

"What do you want to do?" Harry answered. He didn't like this anymore than Ron did but was at a loss about what to do. They had a vague idea what the horcruxes were, but not where to find them or how to destroy them. "We don't know where he is to get her back, and even if we knew where the horcruxes were, Dumbledore never told me how to destroy them."

"We know they aren't here," Ron pointed out. "And they aren't going to appear because we want them to. We should go look for them. Bring them back here and maybe Moody will know what to do with them."

Harry frowned. It wasn't a solid plan, but then without Hermione they were unlikely to come up with a better one. "So which do you think we should find first?"

*****

Draco cast a Disillusionment charm on himself and slid out of his dormitory as quietly as he could. It was well past curfew and everyone was asleep. He needed to send a message. He'd been thinking a lot about everything that had happened since…that night. Snape had tried to save him, was now being hunted by both sides because of him; because he helped him, because Draco was too much of a coward to stay in hiding, and had turned him over to the Dark Lord. 

He needed to get a message to Potter, or someone else in the Order. He had told the Dark Lord where they were hiding because he had wanted to go home and had believed he'd be rewarded for the information. Instead he had been forced to come back here where most of the students hated him because he was responsible for Dumbledore's death. Even his housemates were less than happy with him, he had failed the Dark Lord and they knew it. 

He had seen Snape and Granger in the school, he was sure of it. If they risked coming here they were desperate. Potter would help them, he thought as he slipped through the door and into the owlery. At the very least Potter would want to help Granger and accidentally do something that would inevitably save her. He quickly found the most nondescript owl he could and attached the envelope to its leg. "Take this to the Order of the Phoenix," he whispered and released the bird. 

*****

"Bellatrix Lestrange?" Hermione asked, scowling at her face in the mirror. "You had to make me look like _her_?"

 

"I'm not thrilled with my new appearance either," Snape pointed out frowning at the image of Yaxley staring at him. "If this is going to work we need to look like people that would likely be allowed to wander through town at night."

Hermione sighed. He was right, of course, she could hardly walk through town looking like Hermione Granger. He still hadn't told her why they were here though, just that they needed to get to the Hogshead if they were going to find Mundungus and the locket. She'd only been to there a few times and couldn't imagine what they'd need there that could help them. Snape had seemed certain that they wouldn't find Mundungus, just assistance. 

"Ready?" He asked as he walked out of the shrieking shack and headed toward the Hogshead, assuming that Hermione would follow. When he realized she wasn't next to him he turned to see her running to catch up. "You really need to keep up, Bellatrix would never allow herself to be led around by anyone except the Dark Lord, himself." 

"Sorry."

They made their way across the village unnoticed to the Hogshead and Snape pushed open the door to be met by the old bartender standing a few feet away, wand pointed at him. "I've told you, I don't want any of you in here," he growled. "This is still my pub and it is not open to Death Eaters." 

Snape held out an arm, stopping Hermione and pushing her slightly behind him. "Aberforth," he said calmly, "It's me, Severus." 

The old man's eyes narrowed, his hand tightening on his wand, "Even if you are, Death Eaters are not welcome here." 

"You know your brother," Snape responded, still shielding Hermione from possibly being the target of a curse from the older wizard. Yaxley would be disliked as he was sure he was but Bellatrix tended to draw extreme hatred from most people. He wasn't willing to let her expose herself to unnecessary danger. "Do you honestly believe I, or anyone, could've disarmed and killed him if he hadn't been willing?" 

"If you're Snape," Aberforth said, wand still pointing at his chest, "And you only did as my brother requested, why are you here with _her_?" 

"I—I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione said softly moving around Snape and facing Aberforth. 

Snape scowled at her, "She was a Muggleborn student and a friend of Potter's." 

"Why is she with you?" 

"Can you lower your wand and we'll explain everything?" Snape said, putting his own wand in his pocket and motioning Hermione to do the same.

Aberforth watched them for several seconds and then lowered his own wand. Neither Yaxley or Lestrange would've put away their wands; neither would a guilty Severus Snape. "Talk." 

The next hour was spent explaining to Aberforth Dumbledore what had transpired on the tower the night his brother died, as well as everything leading up to, and following it. They explained about the horcruxes and Hermione searching Snape out to prove his innocence. At last they explained that they needed to find the horcruxes and destroy them. 

Aberforth listened to their entire story, mostly in silence, occasionally asking a question for clarification. When they finished, he asked, "Not that I don't appreciate knowing what happened to Albus, but what does any of this have to do with me? I don't have or know of any horcruxes."

"We think Mundungus Fletcher has one," Hermione said, "Or had, he may have sold it."

"Still not seeing what it has to do with me."

Hermione looked at Snape. As fascinating as it was to learn that this man was Albus Dumbledore's brother, she had no idea why they were here. "Because I know you, if anyone can find a way to get us to Mundungus it's you. Whether it is through the Order or…some other means. You are one of the few people I would trust to get us the help we need."

"I'm not my brother," Aberforth responded. "I don't have the ability to pull off the seemingly impossible but I do have some talents. No promises, but I'll see what I can do. You should hear from me within a few days." 

A few minutes later they said their good-byes, Hermione and Snape both drinking more Poly Juice before walking back out on the street and heading toward the Shrieking shack again. Hermione wasn't sure what sort of talents Aberforth was talking about, nor did she understand how he would contact them, but Snape seemed satisfied with it and not in the mood to answer questions so she followed him into the shack so they could apparate home. She'd try to find out more information tomorrow. 

**Part 15**

"Dobby is here to help Harry Potter's friends." 

Hermione stared at the elf that had just appeared in front of them with a loud crack. She glanced over at Snape who seemed just as shocked to see the elf. "Dobby, how did you get in here?" 

"House elves have magic wizards don't, Miss Granger," Snape answered before Dobby could speak. "The magic that keeps us or others from Apparating here does not affect house elves."

"That is right, Wizards ignore our magic," Dobby agreed, nodding vigorously. 

"Right," Hermione sighed, she had wanted to get to Hogwarts to ask for Dobby's help when Snape had come up with the plan to ask Aberforth, but that didn’t mean she was looking forward to getting his help. "Dobby, we need to find something, we think we know who has it, but we don’t know where he is."

Dobby looked at Snape and frowned. "Harry Potter doesn't trust Professor Snape. He says Professor Snape killed the Headmaster." 

Snape scowled, Aberforth had obviously sent Dobby to them, but an elf that was loyal to Dumbledore could be a problem. "I did kill Dumbledore, but I only did as he asked. He was dying. It was all to protect Potter."

"He's telling the truth," Hermione said, when Dobby looked at her for confirmation. "A locket was stolen from Order Headquarters, Dobby. We're pretty sure Mundungus Fletcher took it and we need to get it back."

"Why? Harry Potter says he doesn't care about the things there. He says they're all full of dark magic."

It was Snape's turn to explain this time. "It is dark magic. It is very dark magic, that's why we need to find it. If we can destroy it, it'll help Potter destroy the Dark Lord."

Hermione and Snape both watched the elf expectantly, as he looked at them both carefully. "Dobby will find Mundungus Fletcher for you." 

Hermione hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Dobby." 

"I will bring him to you soon," Dobby said and disappeared before they could say anything.

"How long do you think it'll take him?" Hermione asked. Dobby's appearance had been a welcome relief. They had been continuing their research on horcruxes all morning and a break had been needed. 

"I'd imagine it depends on how badly Mundungus doesn't want to be found," Snape answered. "Have you found any more information? Anything about what we're supposed to do with the sword?" 

"No," she answered, frowning at the book she had been reading, "but this book has a lot of information so hopefully it'll be in here."

***

"Are you sure we should tell him?" Ron whispered. "Dumbledore did tell you not tell anyone else about it."

"I don't see much choice, really," Harry whispered. He glanced into the small kitchen. Lupin was in there alone but as crowded as this house was it wouldn't be for long, they needed to talk to him now. "Dumbledore also thought he'd be here to help. He's not and we don't have any idea what to do." 

"Boys," Lupin called from the kitchen. "Molly will be in soon to prepare dinner so I suggest you get in here if you plan on talking to me alone."

Harry and Ron walked into the kitchen, faces red at having been caught. Harry spoke first, "we think we need help with what Dumbledore wanted me to do."

"Does this mean we finally learn what you've been working on?" Lupin asked, setting down his tea and turning to face the boys, gesturing for them to sit.

"Well, yeah," Ron answered. "We were all right when Hermione was helping but now…"

"You've lost your research expert?" 

"We don't just want you to research for us," Harry said quickly. "That would help but it's more than that. We have no idea what we are doing. You said Hermione is probably safe with Snape but what if she's not? The only way to find her is to do what Dumbledore asked and hope that it leads us to her and Snape."

"What did he want you to do then?" Lupin asked. Over the last several months he'd been cursing Dumbledore's penchant for secrecy. If they had any chance of keeping Harry alive they needed to know what he was doing. 

"Do you know what a Horcrux is?" 

Lupin's eyes widened as he stared at Harry in shock. "Why?"

Harry and Ron quickly explained what they knew about horcruxes, what Dumbledore had told Harry about Voldemort and his horcruxes, and the little they'd been able to find in their research. "So, do you know how to destroy them? If we find them that is?" Ron asked, hopefully.

"No, I don't," Lupin admitted. "But I'll help you figure it out. I know you boys want as few people as possible to know about this but I think we should tell Mad-Eye. He may know more than I do."

"I don't want to put anyone else in danger," Harry insisted. 

"Mad-eye can take care of himself. I'll talk to him next time he's here. For now I think you should concentrate on gathering the horcruxes that you can get. Obviously Nagini isn't an option but the locket, cup, and diadem are. If we can gather them here we can figure out how to destroy them."

"Thanks Remus," both boys said leaving the room just as Molly Weasley came through to start dinner. "We'll keep working on it."

"What was that about?" Molly asked as she waved her wand and several knives began chopping vegetables. 

"Oh nothing, they just had some questions about something they'd read," he answered. Not quite a lie but not the full truth either. Before she could respond an owl came through the window and landed next to him, offering its leg. 

Lupin quickly removed the envelope and reached for a cracker for the bird. Once it took off, he frowned at the envelope, that simply read _Order_. 

***

Snape sat up in his bed and grabbed his wand at the loud pop he heard coming from downstairs. It was definitely the sound of someone Apparating or Disapparating. Silently he left his bed and opened the door, Apparation should have been impossible but there was always a chance someone could find their way in. As he stepped through the door he gasped when he was met with a wand at his throat. 

"It's me, Miss Granger," he whispered calmly. "Lower your wand."

Hermione lowered her wand slowly. She had panicked when the door opened. Common sense should have told her it was him. It was his room after all. "I-I'm sorry. I just…" she whispered. 

"Shh," he said, putting a finger over his mouth. "Wait here." 

Hermione watched him raise his wand again and start down the stairs, moving quietly. Someone had found them, but how? The Fidelius charm should've kept them hidden, and there was a no Apparation charm on the house as well. But Dobby got in, had someone followed him? The school was under Death Eater control, after all. She moved closer to the stairs as he reached the bottom and watched as he turned toward the study and out of her sight. She didn't hear anything, nothing at all. No fighting, no anything. She couldn't just stand here and wait. Patience had never been her best feature. Raising her own wand she headed down stairs, following his path to the study. She stopped outside the door and listened not wanting to distract Snape if there were any danger. 

"Dobby find him, and bring him to you right away, Sir," Dobby said smiling broadly. "Dobby knew you wouldn't want to wait." 

"Yes, thank you, Dobby," Snape responded before turning his attention to Mundungus. "We need to talk." 

"Dobby," Hermione said, coming through the door, relief evident on her face. "Thank you for being so quick. I'm sure there are some socks in my trunk if you'd like to some new ones." 

"Thank you." Dobby beamed at her before heading toward the stairs to claim his new treasure.

Hermione then turned her attention to the two men. Snape was standing over Mundungus, wand aimed at his chest. "Professor?"

"I can do this alone, Miss Granger," Snape said, not taking his eyes from his target. "You can return to bed."

"No," she insisted. "I'm staying. I'm in danger too. This all concerns me as much as it does you, now." 

"Fine," Snape answered. He didn't want to waste time arguing with her and he was certain she would allow him to do what needed to be done. Hermione was nothing if not practical, her mastering the Cruciatus curse as quickly as she did proved that. "We need the locket."

"I don't have a locket," Mundungus said nervously.

"But you did," Hermione said, moving closer. "Harry saw you with it in Hogsmeade. You took it from Sirius' house."

"I wouldn't steal from Potter," he said, nervously. "Wouldn’t do that."

Snape sighed, loudly. "Yes you would. We all know you would, but we don't care. Tell us where the locket is now and you can leave."

"I don't…"

Hermione raised her own wand, interrupting him, "Dung, you spent a lot of time with us at Headquarters, surely you heard stories about me—when I'm angry."

His eyes widened. 

"And you know what Professor Snape is capable of," she continued. "Neither of us want to hurt you, but we _need_ that locket. Tell us where it is now and you can go. Harry will never know you sold it. We won't hurt you."

Snape watched Mundungus' eyes and he appraised both of them carefully. He could admit to being surprised by the fear he saw in the other man's eyes when Hermione threatened him, he'd have to remember to ask her about these stories she'd referred to later. 

"I sold it, that day," Mundungus finally said, "the day Potter saw me. I sold it to that Ministry woman. Umbridge, her name was."

Snape waved his wand, releasing the bonds holding Mundungus in place, grabbing him by the back of his jacket and dragging him to the door, shoving him out in the cold. "Walk about down to the street and you can apparate."

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Hermione asked when Snape came back into the study. 

"Yes, I'm afraid we're going to have to find a way to get to that insufferable woman," he said slouching back into the sofa. "And you're going to have to tell me some of these stories. Not tonight though. We both need to get some sleep and we'll figure this out in the morning."


	5. 16

"You aren't going," Snape insisted. He was pacing the small study. Letting her go to Hogwarts with him had been one thing, he could protect her from the Carrows. Protecting her at the Ministry which was undoubtedly crawling with Death Eaters was a completely different matter. 

 

"I'm going," Hermione insisted. "This as much about me as it is you."

 

"The Dark Lord wants me dead!" he shouted. "If anyone sees me a quick death is the best I can hope for, Miss Granger."

 

"I realize that, Sir," she sighed. "They want me dead too. I'm muggle-born, they've wanted me dead for much longer than they've wanted you dead. And I can help, you know I can."

 

The truth was she wasn't about to let him go alone into something so dangerous. Two sets of eyes are always better than one. She could defend herself perfectly fine and they could cover more ground with both of them there. 

 

"If anyone at the Ministry realizes you're muggle-born…"

 

"They won't," she insisted. "We'll be using Polyjuice, won't we?" 

 

Snape rubbed his temples and turned away, continuing to pace. They'd been arguing all morning, since the moment he said he'd go alone. Her arguments were sound, which didn't surprise him, he had graded enough of her papers to realize she was always thorough. He just didn't want to put her in danger if he didn’t need to. He mentally catalogued all the reasons he could give her to stay behind; she was a child, unnecessary danger, harder to get two hairs for the Polyjuice, he couldn't live with himself if something happened to someone else he…No, he didn't care about her, not beyond her being his student and currently his responsibility. 

 

Maybe if he said to himself enough he'd start believe it. Hermione Granger was his student, or former student anyway, and he was simply imagining these feelings because they'd been trapped here for so long. Unlike Draco Malfoy she was actually able to hold an intelligent conversation on most subjects with him, he simply didn't hate her as he'd previously believed. 

 

"If I allow you to go," he said finally, "Give me your word you will do exactly as I say. You will not argue or question me."

 

Hermione frowned, if was anyone else she'd argue this point. She was not a child to be ordered about and she was capable of thinking for herself, but she knew he wouldn't hesitate to lock her up here, if necessary, and go without her. She was also smart enough to realize that this was extremely dangerous, one wrong move and they'd be caught and sent to Azkaban or killed. 

 

"I'll do what you say." 

"Fine," he said, sitting across from her at the table. "Here's what we need to do to get in." 

****

Lupin read the note again. Things were getting more complicated every day. Snape and Hermione were not just in hiding, they were out and in danger. Part of him wanted to find Snape and curse him himself; taking Hermione into danger that way was unjustifiable. 

 

"Why were they at Hogwarts?" Moody asked, mostly to himself but he got the attention of Lupin and Arthur Weasley. "What could he have gained going there."

 

"I honestly don't know," Arthur said, shaking his head. "He must know Voldemort is in power. He must know both sides are hunting him."

 

"Except that we aren't anymore," Lupin pointed out. "I for one do believe that Hermione's theory. He shouldn't have put her in danger though."

 

"Do any of you think he could've stopped her if she wanted to go along for whatever it is that made him go back?" Fred asked, he'd been listening from the door and if he knew anything about Hermione it was that she wasn't easily deterred. 

 

"No I suppose you're right," Lupin agreed.

"On the bright side," Fred offered, "If that letter can be believed we now know for certain Snape is not a Death Eater."

 

"Well," Arthur said, leaving his seat. "I promised Molly we'd go into Diagon Alley for some supplies today so I'd better go so we're back before dinner."

 

"I'll come along," Fred said, "Need to check on the shop anyway."

 

Lupin waited until he heard the sound of the Weasley's apparating away before he muttered the spell that would keep anyone from overhearing their conversation before speaking. "Moody, do you think it's possible Hermione and Snape are looking for the Horcruxes?"

 

"Why would they do that?"

 

"Hermione wants to prove his innocence," Lupin said, "She may have decided that the best way to do that was to destroy the Dark Lord themselves. It would certainly free her to come home."

 

"If they're looking for horcruxes we need to find them before they get themselves killed."

***

 

It had taken days for them to figure out how to get into the Ministry without being caught. Even longer to figure out who they should impersonate, they decided against actual employees because neither was completely sure of how security worked now and what procedure employees used when coming and going. 

 

Delores Umbridge worked in the Department for Muggle-Born Registration, that at least worked to their advantage, it was a busy department right now and witches and wizards could report muggle-borns in person so they simply had to pose as purebloods reporting a suspected muggle-born. The plan was to not report anyone of course, they simply needed to get to her office and find the locket. With help from Dobby they knew she did not wear the locket all the times, many times she left it in her office. Dobby also helped them retrieve hair for their Polyjuice. The hairs he found for them were perfect. They were from a sympathetic family, but not a Death Eater family. They had come to Hogwarts to visit their son and he'd taken the hair when he retrieved their trays from their private dinner. 

 

"Ready?" Hermione asked, taking one last deep breath.

 

"It's not too late to back out," Snape said.

 

"Yes it is," she argued. "Let's get this over with."

 

She reached over to take his hand, and frowned at him when he jerked away. "We're supposed to be married," she pointed out, "Dobby said they held hands all the time, remember? You're the one that quizzed him on their behavior."

 

"Right," he frowned as he grasped her hand and began walking toward the visitor entrance. "Remember let me do the talking."

 

They squeezed into the small phone booth and Snape quickly dialed the number and gave the necessary information before they were transported to the main lobby. The man at the security desk, who Snape recognized as one of the newer Death Eaters looked at them for several seconds before speaking. 

"Name and business here, please?" 

 

Snape quickly gave the names of the couple they now looked like, "We're here to report a possible Muggle-born living on our street."

 

The man quickly gave them directions to the Department for Muggle-Born Registration and pointed them to the lift. 

 

A few minutes later, they stepped out of the lift and looked around slowly. The hallway was empty so Snape quickly pulled his wand and cast a disillusionment charm on each of them. 

 

"It'll be easier if we're just not seen now," he whispered, "but stay close to the walls and don't make any noise." 

 

Hermione nodded and gasped, pointing toward the door opening on the far end of the hall. "Here she comes." 

 

Snape grabbed her and pressed them both against the wall. They watched as Umbridge and a coworker walked past them and stepped into the lift, discussing going to Diagon Alley for lunch. When they had disappeared from sight Snape released Hermione and stepped away from the wall. 

 

"Did you see the locket?" 

 

"No," she whispered, "Did you?" 

 

"Well then one thing is going right, finally," he said with relief. "Let's try to get into her office. 

 

They slipped through the door they'd seen Umbridge and looked around in surprise. Rows and Rows of desks all empty. 

 

"Where is everyone?" Hermione asked.

 

"Lunch?"

 

"All at the same time?" 

 

"It does seem odd," Snape agreed, "But the place is empty let's find the locket and get out before they get back or anyone realizes the guard sent someone to an empty office and come looking for us."

***

Less than an hour later they were standing in the small study in their cottage again, Hermione holding the locket in her hand. "That was almost too easy."

 

"Yes it was," he agreed, "So I don't expect destroying it will be nearly as easy as we'd hoped."


	6. chapter 17

**Part Seventeen**

 

Hermione had her head bent over the table, examining the locket as closely as she could without touching it. Snape had told her that it was possible that with part of Voldemort in the locket that handling the locket could be risky, so they had agreed it was best to touch it as little as possible, until they either found a way to destroy or were certain of the effect it could have. They'd had it for days and were no closer to figuring out how to destroy it than they had been in the beginning. They had found out ways to destroy a Horcrux but they didn’t seem plausible in their present situation. 

 

There were three ways to destroy a Horcrux that they could find, basilisk venom was the first, but not really practical, giant deadly snakes weren't exactly easy to find. Not to mention she'd had exactly one experience with a basilisk and she wasn't anxious to repeat it. Fiendfyre was the most effective way of destroying them but that spell was unpredictable and dangerous at best, and they were near a muggle village, they couldn't risk endangering innocent bystanders when the fire got out of control. And the third option was to use something goblin-made but where would they get that; it wasn't as if they could just walk into Gringotts and ask to borrow a piece of goblin history. 

 

Snape looked up from his own examination of the locket to watch Hermione. He tried to remember the annoying, over-eager, little girl that had sat in his class her first year, so desperate to show off her knowledge, or even the girl he'd humiliated in her fourth year when Draco Malfoy had hexed her, he couldn’t manage it though. That little girl was long gone, she had become a lovely, strong woman. He wasn't sure when, it seemed like it must have happened in the time since he'd left Hogwarts but he knew that wasn't right, she had changed long ago and he just hadn't noticed, or hadn't wanted to admit he noticed. 

Hermione reminded him so much of Lily at times that he had to remind himself that this woman here with him now was not the same one he'd loved for so very long. She didn't look like Lily, not at all, but she had the same determination and innocence that had drawn him to Lily so long ago. She had also been so eager to soak up every ounce of knowledge of the magical world. But Hermione also reminded him so much of himself in other ways. She didn't have his fascination with the dark arts, at least not in the same way; she'd never consider joining forces with the Dark Lord, but she wanted to learn everything she could, about every subject. She didn't quite fit in with her peers. Oh, she blended in better than he had at her age because she had been lucky enough to fall into a friendship with Potter and Weasley but without them she'd have been as much an outcast as he'd been at her age. 

 

"Something goblin-made!" Hermione jumped up from her seat startling Snape in the process. She ran across the room and began searching through the books piled on the desk. 

 

"What are you talking about?" He asked irritably. He'd heard her friends comment in the past about her ability to insufficiently explain herself and had always thought them a bit mad since she _always_ explained herself in class, whether necessary or not, but now he was seeing their point. This wasn't the first time she'd made a vague comment and then disappeared behind a pile of books with no further explanation.

 

"Sir," Hermione said, turning toward him, "The sword. It belonged to Godric Gryffindor, didn't it?" 

 

"Yes." 

 

"It was common back then for Wizards to have their weaponry made by goblins, wasn't it?" 

 

"It's been many years since I was in Professor Binns class, but yes I believe the wealthy and powerful often procured goblin-made weaponry…" Snape's voice trailed off as he realized where her train of thought had been heading, "Miss Granger, that is incredible deductive skills, we just need to find a way to be sure." 

 

"Well, couldn’t we just try it and if it doesn't work we're no worse off, right?" She suggested nervously. 

 

"It's risky, but I suppose we could," he agreed. The plan was risky, Dumbledore's hand had been nearly cursed when he destroyed a Horcrux and neither of them were sure of the cause, it could've been that his first attempt had not worked. "On one condition, I will make the attempt, not you."

 

Hermione frowned at him, she hated being treated like she wasn't capable of taking care of herself, but logically she also knew he had more experience with dark magic than she did. He had the best chance of realizing something was wrong before any serious damage was done. She was worried though, she didn't want him to be hurt because of her plan, either. She had gotten to know him as a person, rather than just as her teacher over the last weeks and her respect for him had grown considerably…as had the crush she had had on him. She had long ago admitted that after she had found out he was spying for the Order she had started to see him differently, she'd never told anyone, the boys would've had her committed right next to Lockhart if they'd known, but she'd stopped seeing him as simply the cruel potions master and more as someone to be admired . Being here with him had also made her acutely aware of how much they were alike in so many ways. She loved Harry and Ron but she'd never felt as comfortable talking about things she had read with them, not even when it directly related to something the boys were doing or needed at the time. She also was well aware those feelings were growing with every day they spent in this cottage, with every conversation they had, with every game of chess he beat her at. That part of her still wasn't completely happy with him endangering himself but that same part of her was delighted that he was concerned about her safety. She just wouldn't consider the fact that his concern was only that of a teacher. 

 

"Fine, I want to be in the room though," she conceded. 

 

"At a safe distance, is acceptable."

 

***

 

"You boys need to find those horcruxes soon," Moody said, facing Harry and Ron, his eye running over them carefully. "If Lupin is right that's the key to finding Hermione."

 

"I still don't understand it," Ron complained. 

 

"It's simple," Lupin said patiently, "We know that Snape's hiding place was attacked while Hermione was there so they were forced into a new hiding place. We also know that Malfoy spotted Snape and someone else, we assume Hermione, at Hogwarts near the Headmaster's office. They went there for a reason, the best guess we have is to talk to Dumbledore's portrait to ask about the horcruxes."

 

"Right, but that's all just guesses," Harry insisted, "Malfoy is our source, he could be wrong."

 

"He could be," Moody agreed, "And I wouldn't completely trust him, but that break in at the Ministry would lead me in the same direction. The only thing missing was a locket. A locket that's description fits one that was stolen from this house, one that matches the one you and Albus went to find."

"Okay, so you think that Hermione and Snape are trying to find and destroy the horcruxes on their own to prove his innocence?" Harry asked. He knew this had been explained already but he was still having trouble with the idea that Hermione was trying to help Severus Snape. 

 

"Yes, and that is going to draw Death Eater attention before too long," Lupin answered. "We need to get them here, to safety, before that happens. Snape is good but there is only so much he can do to hide them without resources." 

 

"And our finding the horcruxes will help how, exactly?" Ron asked, pacing the room.

 

"With any luck you'll find them the same time they do and you can bring them back here," Lupin answered, trying hard to hold onto his patience. 

 

"We can assume that snake will be the last thing they go for since it's with Voldemort," Moody said, ignoring the questions that had already been answered more than once. "The diary and ring are no longer an issue, that leaves this cup of Hufflepuff's and something of Ravenclaw's but we don't know what."

 

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Do we have any ideas?" 

 

"My only suggestion is that we look for the cup first," Lupin suggested. "Hermione didn't know what the last Horcrux was either when she left, we should assume they'll first go after the things they do know." 

 

"Okay, so where would he hide a cup?" Ron asked. 

 

***

 

"Why aren't we doing this in the house?" Hermione asked, wrapping her cloak tightly around her as she followed Snape through the dark woods. "We are still using the sword, right? We aren't trying Fiendfyre, are we?" 

 

He stopped and turned toward her, he did owe her an explanation; he had woken her in the middle of the night and made her trek out in the dark and cold without saying more than five words to her. "Yes, we are still using the sword. However, we don't know what exactly happens in this process, either if it works or it doesn’t, I think it's best to do it somewhere safe so we don't harm anyone else or destroy our only hiding place."

 

"Oh, that makes sense," she agreed. She still wasn't happy with being up at this hour but it made sense and this time of night was when they were least likely to be spotted. 

 

They walked in silence for several more minutes before he stopped in front of a large tree stump. He looked around cautiously, no one should know where to find them but he wasn't going to take any chances. 

"If anything goes wrong, apparate, or run, if necessary," Snape told her, watching her reaction carefully. He held up a hand to silence her objections. "Do not sacrifice yourself for me, it's foolish. If you can get to the safe meeting point we talked about before going to Hogwarts go there, if I don't show up soon after, or it's not safe, go to the Order Headquarters."

 

"But, how will I know if you…"

 

"Hermione," he sighed, "If I do not show up at the safe house within a few hours assume I won't be coming at all and go to Lupin or Moody. Tell them everything. If I do manage to get to safety I will contact you." 

 

The promise to contact her surprised even him, he wasn't used to being concerned about anyone but himself but he found the look of fear in her eyes to be more than he could bear so he promised to contact her as soon as he was safe if they were attacked. It wasn't much overall, but for him that was giving a great deal of himself. And he wished there was a way for him to know she was safe, but if he didn't meet her there wouldn't be a safe way for that to happen. He'd have to depend on her innate ability to keep herself out of any serious danger. 

 

"Okay," she agreed softly, "let's just get this over with." 

 

She took the locket from her bag and placed it carefully on the stump, before reaching back into her bag and pulling out the long sword and passing it over to Snape. She looked around once again to be sure no one was nearby, before raising her wand and casting the muffliato spell to block any noise they made from anyone who may wander by. 

 

"Smart thinking, Hermione," he said, nodding his approval, "now step back out of the way." 

 

She silently moved back toward the trees, placing herself slightly behind a large tree and watched as he stepped closer to the stump. He raised the sword above his head and she watched in silent fascination as he began to lower the sword when a loud crack rang through the air that had nothing to do with destroying the locket causing Snape to drop the sword as he reached for his wand. She had her wand in her hand and was moving toward the sound before she realized what she was doing. She knew she had promised to run, but running just wasn't in her nature, it's what inevitably drew her into so many of the boys' antics. 

 

"Dobby, " Snape was yelling as she caught up to him in the trees on the other side of the clearing. "You cannot keep apparating in like this, I could've killed you." 

 

"I'm sorry, Professor, sir," Dobby said nervously, "But Dobby has important news, sir, news Dobby thinks Professor and Hermione Granger need, sir."

 

"What is it, Dobby?" Hermione asked stepping closer. She recognized that deadly tone in Snape's voice and wanted to distract him from the danger Dobby had put himself in by appearing so suddenly.

 

"Did I not say to run or apparate at any sign of danger?" Snape sighed turning his attention to her. 

 

"Well, it wasn't danger, was it?" Hermione asked indignantly, "Dobby is hardly a threat to my life."

 

"You didn't know it was Dobby, Hermione."

 

"I'm sorry, I wanted to make sure you were safe." 

 

Snape closed his eyes and counted to ten silently, arguing with her was pointless. "Fine, Dobby what news do you have?"

 

Dobby looked back and forth between Hermione and Snape and smiled slightly, he knew that these were wizards he could trust, that they would help save the world from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, they would help keep Harry Potter alive, that's why he was willing to lie to Harry Potter to protect them. Dobby knew it was the right thing even if Harry Potter didn't. 

"Dobby heard the new headmaster and his sister talking, sir," he said quickly, "He told the Dark Lord that Professor Snape has the sword. And the Daily Prophet reported the locket is missing. Dobby doesn't understand but he knows the Dark Lord is very angry and says either Professor Snape or Harry Potter has it and it must be found. And Bellatrix must check on her vault. He's worried that something could be missing from the vault, Professor."

 

"Thank you, Dobby," Hermione said. "You better go back before anyone knows you're gone." 

 

"Yes, Hermione Granger," Dobby said turning his attention to her once again, "Dobby wants to help Harry Potter's friends. Dobby will help keep you safe." 

 

Before either could reply he disappeared with another loud crack. 

 

Hermione turned to Snape, "So something is in the Lestrange's vault?"

 

"Appears so," he agreed, picking up the locket and handing it to her so she could place it back in her bag. "Destroying this will have to wait, right now we need to figure out a way into that vault before Bellatrix can move whatever has him so worried."


	7. Chapter 18

Hermione looked up from the book in her lap as Snape approached and held out a cup of tea. She reached for it gratefully, she was tired. She was sitting outside in the hopes that the chilly air would keep her awake but it was getting harder to concentrate, maybe the caffeine would help. Neither of them had slept since he woke her the previous evening to destroy the locket. They were both pretty sure a Horcrux was in the Lestrange's vault, but had no idea how to get into it. Gringotts was too heavily guarded, both with magic and with security and this had to be done without drawing any attention to themselves. This was one of the times she missed having contact with the Order, Bill would know if there was any way into the vault. 

 

"Thanks," she said, sipping the tea. 

 

"It's rather cold to be sitting outside," he said pulling his cloak closed and sitting next to her. "Have you found anything?" 

 

"It's keeping me awake," she answered, "and no, nothing other than no one has ever successfully broken into Gringotts." 

 

"Which we already knew," he sighed. "I'm not sure this can be done, Hermione. The goblins take security very seriously." 

 

"So, what? It's over?" She asked closing her book. "We just quit and stay in hiding forever?"

 

Severus looked at her for several minutes without answering. Was that what he was saying? Should they just give up and stay here until someone found and killed them? Or they ran out of galleons and supplies. While he may not find the idea of spending more time alone with Hermione as horrible as he would have only a few months ago the way they were going would surely end in their deaths. 

"No," he agreed, "But we can't do this alone, and we can't go to the Order since as far as we know they still want me dead." 

 

I won't let that happen, was her first thought but instead said, "I agree, Bill might have ideas but we can't go to him. We need someone who knows Gringotts and how Goblins think." 

 

"Come inside," he said, changing the subject, they both needed sleep and that wasn't going to happen while they were obsessing over getting into that vault. "I've made dinner and then we both need sleep, we'll figure something out in the morning."

 

"But I…"

"Dinner, now," he said and headed through the door. 

***

"Kreacher has news, Master," Kreacher said, popping into the bedroom that Harry shared with Ron. He had reached an understanding with the house elf months ago and was now happy to have eyes and ears inside Hogwarts. Not that Dobby wasn't helpful, but Dobby didn't have to do as he said, Kreacher did. 

 

"What kind of news?" Ron said, sitting up in his bed, they had just finally gotten to sleep after hours of researching when the elf appeared, but news from the house elf could either help with destroying Voldemort or to find Hermione.

 

Harry reached for his glasses, and put them on, "Kreacher, what did you hear?" 

 

"A lot Sir," Kreacher said smiling broadly, happy to help his new master now that he knew he would be kind to him, not like the last one, "Dobby leaves the school. Dobby is helping someone, Dobby is telling them what he hears, he is helping them hide, sir."

 

"Helping who?" Harry said, sitting up straighter. "Who is Dobby helping?"

 

Ron was also sitting on the edge of his bed now. Like Harry, he was wondering if they could even hope to have a break in finding Hermione. 

 

"Professor Snape, Sir," Kreacher answered proudly, "Dobby is helping Professor Snape and the Mud—Hermione Granger."

 

"Dobby knows where Hermione is?" Ron said jumping off the bed. "Why didn't he…didn't you talk to him?"

 

Harry frowned; he had talked to Dobby just a few days ago, "Yeah, I knew he wasn't telling me something though. Kreacher, do you know where Hermione is? Is she safe?"

 

"Hermione Granger is safe," he answered, "Kreacher doesn't know where she is. Dobby says Hermione Granger and Professor Snape are going to help Harry Potter save the world. They is looking for something important but Dobby not know what."

 

"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry said, "Can you ask Dobby to come and see me tomorrow night? I need to talk to him." 

 

"Yes, Master, Kreacher will tell Dobby." With that last statement he vanished with a loud pop.

 

"Do you think Dobby will tell us?" Ron asked.

 

"I hope so," Harry sighed. 

***

Snape stared at the fire burning in the fireplace. If it worked they had a way into the Lestrange's vault, if it didn't then they'd be caught and likely killed. Was it worth the risk? Should he tell Hermione what he had found when he'd gone out for more firewood this morning, or just forget about it and find a different way in? He had heard voices near the lake and had hidden in the bushes, wondering if he could make it back to the cottage to get Hermione and get out before they figured out where he was, he had been sure it was Death Eaters. 

 

Then he'd seen them. They weren't wizards at all; it was a small band of goblins. They were on the run as well, hiding from Voldemort. He'd learned that and not much else from listening to their conversation before coming back here to think things through. They could try approaching the goblins, try enlisting their help to get into the bank. Goblins weren't notoriously helpful creatures though, and they couldn't know about the sword, so they'd have to find another way to destroy the Horcrux, although in the vault Fiendfyre would work it could be contained. It would destroy all of Bellatrix's belongings but he wasn't feeling generous toward one of the people who had forced him into hiding at the moment. 

 

It would be better if he could do this alone, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. She'd been unwilling to stay behind for anything thus far and he doubted that would change now. Still as dangerous as this option was, it was better than sitting here doing nothing. 

"Hermione," He called, "can you come to the study please?" 

 

"What's wrong?" she said, coming into the room, tying her hair back as she moved. "I was just starting lunch."

 

"I think I may have a way to get into the vault," he said, gesturing for her to sit before he explained what he had seen that morning and what his plan was. 

"Do you think they'll help us?" She asked when he'd finished. 

 

"Honestly, I don't know," he admitted. "And even with help, they can't stop the security, we are going to have to destroy it in the vault, so we'll want to bring the locket as well, if we're going to use Fiendfyre we should destroy both at once." 

 

"Well, I say, after lunch we try to go talk to them."

***

Harry was pacing the floor of the library trying to control his temper. Yelling at Dobby never accomplished anything other than to agitate him which was more trouble than it was worth. He saw Ron's face turning red as he tried once again to question the elf. 

"Dobby, Hermione is in danger, Snape is dangerous." 

 

"Dobby does not think Professor Snape is dangerous, sir," he disagreed, "Dobby thinks Professor Snape and Hermione Granger can help Harry Potter stop He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

 

Harry turned to face Dobby, "You don't understand, he kidnapped her, he killed Dumbledore." 

 

"Dobby knows Professor Snape killed the Headmaster, but Dobby thinks Harry Potter is wrong about kidnapping Hermione Granger. She is not in danger, she is liking being there with the Professor. They is working together, they is a good team." 

 

"Dobby…" Harry warned. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. 

 

"Dobby is sorry but he won't tell Harry Potter. Hermione Granger told Dobby it was a secret."

 

Lupin stood in the doorway watching the boys arguing with the elf. Dobby's loyalty to Harry was enormous so he obviously felt very strongly about keeping this secret. "Dobby, if you can't tell us where they are, can you tell us what they were looking for? What you were helping them with?"

 

"Dobby helped them find Mundungus Fletcher. They tell Dobby it was important," Dobby answered, "And Dobby tell them the Dark Lord is worried. Dobby tell them that there is something important in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts. Something the Dark Lord is worried will be stolen."

 

"What do you mean something…?" Before Ron could finish his question Dobby vanished with a loud pop. "Well what good did that do us?"

 

"Quite a bit," Lupin answered. 

 

"We know we have to find a way into Gringotts." Harry finished.


	8. Chapter 19

**Part Nineteen**

 

"I can't help you," the goblin said watching Snape and Hermione carefully. He didn't trust Wizards, never did, and certainly not now with You-Know-Who in power again. "There is no way to take something from a vault that is not yours. Security is…"

 

Hermione stopped pacing and turned to face the goblin sitting at the table. It was a theory, and she hadn't had a chance to research it but, "What if we don't want to take it? What if we just need to get into the vault."

 

"If you do not wish to take someone else's belongings why do you need to be inside their vault?" 

 

Snape looked at Hermione, eyes narrowing. He hadn't thought of the possibility of where he assumed her mind was going. He'd figured it would be easiest to destroy what they found at the bank but she seemed to be taking it one step further.

 

"Well, we need to find something specific, something Volde—You-Know-Who," she corrected herself, when both Snape and the goblin flinched, "may have hidden in a vault, something that is adding to his power. We don't necessarily need to take it with us though, we can destroy it there. That would actually be the safest place to destroy it, the vault would contain the magic so no one would be hurt. Would that still trigger the security measures?" 

 

The goblin's eyes followed her as she began pacing again. He believed these people, that they didn't intend to steal, but destroying another's property was just as bad. On the other hand, they wanted to destroy something that could free them all again. "You only wish to stop You-Know-Who? You will not try to take anything that is not yours from the vaults?"

"We are not thieves," Hermione answered. "I'm sorry, I don't think you gave us your name? If you're going to help us we should know you as something other than 'the goblin'. "

 

"Griphook," he answered. "If you do not leave with anything security will probably not be triggered, I can't be certain though, I can't recall anyone ever breaking in without trying to steal from us."

 

"Will you help us, Griphook?" Snape asked. 

 

"I still do not trust you," Griphook answered. "You are Severus Snape and she is a Muggleborn, if we get caught I will be killed for associating with you."

 

"We won't let that happen," Hermione reassured him. "If there is a way in without you being there with us we can do that. It would be better really, if we don't have to endanger you."

 

"They will notice you quickly if you are not accompanied by a goblin," he responded. "I will have be to with you." 

 

"Then perhaps we can do this tomorrow?" Snape asked. "We can use Polyjuice to get in unnoticed." 

 

"Whose vault do you need to enter?" 

 

"Lestrange," Snape answered, "Can you do it?"

 

Griphook shuddered, he had not expected that to be the vault in question. Bellatrix Lestrange frightened him nearly as much as the Dark Lord did. "I can do it." 

 

"Then we'll do this first thing tomorrow," Hermione agreed. "Do you want to stay here with us? Sleep in a bed for a change?"

 

"I would be grateful," Griphook agreed. 

 

"Well, then I'll show you to your room and we'll see you in the morning." 

***

"I can't believe we made it down here," Hermione said as they climbed into the small cart. "They didn't even question who we were."

 

"No goblin wants to deal with _her_ any more than necessary," Griphook said climbing in behind them. 

 

Snape smirked. "It's not just goblins that don't wish to deal with Bellatrix." 

 

All three fell silent as the cart made its way through the winding tunnels belong Gringotts. The Lestrange's vault was down in the deepest part of the bank where security was highest. Griphook kept his head down, he didn't work here anymore so it was imperative he didn't attract anyone's attention. Being here with someone that looked Lestrange helped a great deal but he didn't want to take any chances. They passed under the security waterfall washing away both Snape and Hermione's poly-juiced disguises. Finally he stopped in front of a vault and climbed out. Snape eyed the old dragon guarding the door warily, it could be a problem, he handed Hermione a small phial and drank from one himself. They waited for the potion to take effect before approaching the dragon. Griphook quickly helped them open the vault as the dragon slept. 

 

"Remember I made no promises regarding security. I only think it won't be triggered so be prepared to get away quickly but I will do all in my power to make sure you get out safely."

 

Snape looked at the nervous goblin and said, "Can you get out of here and leave us the cart? We don't need anyone else in danger." 

 

"I can," Griphook agreed and quickly ran from the vault. 

 

"Don't touch anything!" Snape shouted as Hermione reached for a necklace lying on top of a pile of jewels. "I have no doubt that Bellatrix has cursed every item in here"

 

Hermione dropped her hand to her side, "Any idea how we find whatever we're looking for then? If we can't touch anything?" 

 

"Well, it's either the goblet or the diadem," he said frowning so let's try "Accio Ravenclaw Diadem! Accio Hufflepuff Goblet!" He waved his wand as he said the summoning spell and frowned when nothing happened. 

 

Hermione smiled and muttered her own summoning charm, "Accio Horcrux!"

 

Her smile grew broader and Snape's frown deeper as a golden goblet flew through the air at them. She reached out her hand to catch it.

 

"Don't touch...!" His words died as the goblet flew into her hand and she screamed in pain dropping it to the ground. 

 

As it hit the ground the goblet began multiplying as well as glowing red from heat. He pushed Hermione from vault and reached in his pocket for the ring, tossing it to the floor before raising his own wand and casting the Fiendfyre charm and slamming the vault door closed. 

 

"Is your hand all right?" He asked.

 

"No, but we can deal with it later," she sighed looking the burn already blistering on her hand. "Let's get out of here." 

 

"We're going to have to go through the waterfall again so keep your poly juice handy and take it as soon as you clear the falls." 

 

They made their way quickly through the tunnels, Snape driving the cart as Hermione tried desperately to stop the pain in her hand. She couldn't believe she had so quickly forgotten his warning to not touch anything. As they exited the tunnels Snape suddenly pulled her out of sight into a dark corner. 

 

"She's here," he whispered. "We need to get out of here." 

 

He silently cast the disillusionment charm on each of them and pulled her along the walls toward the door, wincing as he saw Bellatrix aim her wand at the small goblin behind the desk. She was yelling at him as he tried to deal with his own confusion as to how she was there when the goblin had clearly seen her go to her vault already. Snape raised his own wand and cast a shielding charm around the desk, protecting the goblins from Bellatrix's wrath. He pulled Hermione through the door as Bellatrix screamed in anger as her spell was stopped by the shielding charm. 

 

"Apparate back to the cottage." 

 

"What about you?" She asked nervously, she wasn't leaving him here alone.

 

"I'll be there," he assured her, "it's just easier than trying side-along Apparation. It isn't as if we can go to St. Mungos if we splinch." 

 

***

Harry and Ron read stared at the daily prophet in shock. Had it been Hermione's doing? Snape's? Had someone else broken in? The Lestrange's vault had been completely decimated by Fiendfyre. 

 

"This had to be them," Ron said. "Hermione would do something like that." 

 

"I doubt Hermione knows the spell for Fiendfyre," Lupin pointed out. "It isn't commonly taught to students."

 

"But Snape would, right?" Harry asked. 

 

"Yes, Severus would know that spell. I don't know if he'd use it though, it's nearly impossible to control. He must have been desperate to use it."

 

Ron's eyes narrowed, "Or maybe it's the only way to destroy a Horcrux." 

 

"If that's the case then this more dangerous than we believed," Lupin muttered. "I suggest we start working on figuring out that last Horcrux."

 

"Brilliant," Ron muttered, "More reading." 

Harry frowned, if that spell was as dangerous as Lupin implied he wondered if Hermione had made it out alive. Part of him was starting to believe the easiest thing to do was to seek out Voldemort and destroy Nagini and worry about that last Horcrux later, the other part of him could hear Hermione's voice telling him how stupid that plan was. Voldemort would surely kill him if they hadn't destroyed all the Horcruxes before facing him. 

***

Snape gently rubbed the salve on Hermione's hand, hoping it would work. Without knowing exactly what curse had been placed on the goblet it was hard to treat it. These things were easier at the school, where the danger was children with a limited knowledge of dark magic. He knew what the children had been taught and could easily deduce what the correct treatment was. Hermione hissed in pain as he pressed down on her hand, rubbing too vigorously. 

 

"I'm sorry," he said letting go of her hand. "I didn't mean to push so hard."

 

"It's not your fault," she sighed, "If I hadn't been stupid I wouldn't be hurt."

 

"It wasn't stupidity. Your plan worked," he pointed out, as he wrapped bandages around her hand. "I hadn't thought to summon a Horcrux. Keep that covered tonight, if it's the right salve it should be healed by morning." 

 

"Now we just need to find the diadem."

 

"Right, and we are no closer to figuring it out than we were before."

 

Hermione browsed through the books on the shelf, hoping something would pop out that just obviously pointed toward the location of the missing tiara. She stopped and turned to look at Snape, "Professor, I…could it be…" 

 

"Hermione," he said, turning his attention back to her from the book he'd just picked up. "At this point I think you can stop calling me Professor. I'm not any longer and you've more than proven yourself to be as powerful and talented as any of my peers. Call me Severus."

 

"Um, right, Sir," Hermione grinned slightly at his frown, "I've called you sir or Professor for seven years it'll take time, okay?"

 

He nodded his understanding. "You had an idea?" He asked, "And please explain yourself before you run off to research on your own." 

 

"Well, I could be way off on this but he was kind of obsessed with Hogwarts," she began, "And well, The Grey Lady did say she had hidden the diadem in Albania and she had told Tom Riddle where it was." 

 

"You want to go to Albania?" 

 

"No, of course not," she frowned. "When he came back from Albania it was with Quirrell who came more or less immediately to Hogwarts…"

 

"You may be right," he agreed. "But we need to be sure before we go back there again. We need to have an idea where to look as well. Dumbledore won't be of any help. If he knew it was in the school he would've destroyed it long ago."


	9. Chapter 20

**Part Twenty**

 

Hermione slammed the book closed in disgust. She was tired, and irritated, she now knew more about Rowena Ravenclaw and her daughter than even she wanted to know. Three weeks had passed since they'd destroyed the locket and cup and they had done nothing but research the diadem. And they were still no closer to finding it than they had been before. They still believed it could be at Hogwarts but they needed to be sure before they could risk going back there. She stood up and dropped the book on the table and stretched her arms over head trying to work the stiffness out of her neck. 

 

"Did you find something?" Snape asked looking up from his own reading. "Or you abusing the books for some other reason?"

 

"Of course I didn't find anything," she snapped. "We've both read all of these books twice already, there's nothing to find." 

 

He closed his own book and watched her pace the room. She was right, they'd been over all of it so many times one of them would've found it. The last few days he had even considered the idea of just taking the risk of searching Hogwarts, but they had no idea where to begin looking, and it wasn't as if they could wander the school aimlessly. 

"I'll try to go tomorrow and find new reading material," he offered.

 

"I want a different subject," she objected. "We should just go to Hogwarts, this isn't getting us anywhere." 

 

"A different topic would be a pleasant diversion, I agree. But it's not safe to go to Hogwarts. We have no idea where it might be hidden. We've ruled out the obvious places that we know Quirrell had been, because it would've been found. So where do we look?"

 

"I don't know," she sighed. 

 

"Surely, you and your friends managed to find yourself in every nook and cranny of Hogwarts, where would be a good hiding place?"

 

"Unfortunately," she said sitting next to him on the sofa, "I wasn't always with the boys. Most of their exploring was done without me." She smiled and added, "funny, I used to think that was a good thing. But if we asked Harry or Ron—"

 

"No," he snapped angrily, "we are not risking going to them for help. For all we know they still want me dead, and we can do this without Potter's interference."

 

Hermione looked up at him and frowned. This wasn't the first time he'd gotten angry just at the mention of Harry or asking for Harry's help. She understood the fear that Harry wanted him dead but she could go alone to talk to him, and she'd pointed that out. Harry didn't have to know where he was. It shouldn't be surprising, he had disliked Harry from the first day of school. 

 

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked, "I'd like to know but if you don’t to answer I'll understand. Just don't get mad at me for asking, all right?"

 

"What is it?" 

 

"Why do you hate Harry?" She asked, "And his father. It's more than just the Slytherin/Gryffindor thing after all these years right? And I know he embarrassed you when you at school but that was a long time ago and…"

 

"It has nothing to do with House loyalty, or teen age pranks," Snape agreed.

 

"Then what is it?" Hermione asked. She was amazed he had said that much on the topic. She had fully expected to be yelled at for her questions. 

 

He looked at her for several moments without speaking. He'd never spoke of this to anyone before except Dumbledore and that had been nearly eighteen years before. It probably spoke wonders for his need to think of something other than Ravenclaw's diadem and ways into and places to search within Hogwarts that he was considering answering her questions.

 

"Must we talk about this?" 

 

"You agreed, a different topic would be nice," she pointed out.

 

"Fine," he sighed and stood and began pacing the room not wanting to see her reaction. "Nothing I say leaves this room Miss Granger."

 

"This must be bad, if I'm Miss Granger again," she said with a slight smile. She hadn't really expected him to be willing to reveal anything. "I won't repeat anything, I promise."

 

"I dislike Potter because, like his father, he believes rules don't apply to him and he relies on his smarter friends to carry him through school," Snape began, watching Hermione carefully, hoping she'd accept that explanation and further explanation wouldn't be necessary.

 

"Harry doesn't…" she started to protest and stopped and frowned, "I can't do it, I can't argue with you, Harry and Ron do ignore the rules."

 

"And without you they wouldn't have passed any class, certainly not potions."

 

"All right, but you hated Harry the first day of first year. You didn't know he would break the rules so much back then. So, did you assume because he looked like his father he'd be like his father? Because that's not really fair."

 

He closed his eyes and tried to come up with a way to explain his feelings to her. He wasn't accustomed to discussing his feelings with anyone. He preferred not to, and over all very few people were ever interested in his feelings. 

"My dislike of Potter was because he looked like his father, but not for the reasons you believe," he said slowly. 

 

"I don't understand," she said, confusion evident on her face.

 

"I will tell you this story, but you have to let me do so without interruption," he said, "No one living has any idea about what I'm about to tell you." 

 

He waited until she nodded her agreement. 

 

"The year before I was to go to Hogwarts I saw two girls playing on a swing set in a park near my home. One of the girls was clearly a witch. A Muggleborn witch," he said. He continued his story about his childhood, about how he had met Lily Evans and how they remained friends through the first five years of their time at Hogwarts. "In the beginning, we both had problems with our houses accepting the friendship. Slytherins did, and still do gravitate toward other Slytherins, and Gryffindors are willing to be friends with anyone except for Slytherins."

 

Hermione nodded her understanding. She had seen that with her own experiences at Hogwarts. She watched him pace the floor, looking anywhere but at her. Finally, he continued. 

 

"Our fifth year, what had been a crush on Lily had grown. She was my only true friend. Unfortunately, that year James Potter had also decided he wanted Lily."

 

"That's why he was so horrible to you," Hermione said softly. "Harry wouldn't tell us what he saw in the pensieve just that his father had done horrible things to you." 

 

"Yes," he agreed. "And Lily tried to defend me, and I said things I shouldn’t." 

 

Hermione nodded again. "That's what boys do when a girl tries to help them. Ron does that to me all the time."

 

"Please don’t compare me to Weasley. But yes, teenage boys have very fragile egos. Lily couldn't forgive me for what I'd said. By seventh year she was firmly attached to Potter. I had lost her."

 

"You loved her?" Hermione asked, surprised. Even though she had seen a much different side of Severus Snape in the time she'd spent here with him she was shocked to see a more vulnerable side. "You loved Harry's mother, that's why you switched sides."

 

"Yes," he agreed. "It was too late though. Too late for me to be with her, too late to save her." 

 

"You disliked Harry, not because he acted like his father, but because he looked like him," Hermione said softly. "He reminded you of what you lost."

 

Snape nodded his head. Potter reminded him of what he lost more than Hermione could understand. Yes, he looked like his father, but every time he looked in the boy's eyes he saw Lily. "I think you should turn in now."

 

Hermione stopped in the doorway. "Severus?" 

 

"Yes?" 

 

"Thank you for telling me all of that, I know how hard it was for you," she said softly. "And I think now I understand how much of a compliment it was when we first got here and you told me I reminded you of Harry's mother."

 

He didn't respond and she turned and headed up the stairs to go to bed. 

 

*****

An hour later Hermione lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She was still trying to process what she'd learned tonight. Severus had been in love with Lily Potter. It explained a lot in so many ways. It explained his intense dislike of James Potter in a way that made more sense than schoolboy rivalry. It even explained why he switched sides, why he protected Harry, there were so many times he could've just not done anything and no one would've known he was in a position to protect Harry. 

 

Now his insane vendetta against Sirius even made more sense than it did back in third year. He believed Sirius to be responsible for the death of someone he loved dearly. He hadn't ever really moved on, she didn't imagine being a death eater left time for dating, and then he was at Hogwarts all the time. 

 

Listening to his story tonight, she began to realize the crush she'd been denying for so long was so much more. She was falling in love with him. She didn't want to be, and she was sure he would never return those feelings but it was getting harder to pretend she didn't feel that way. Or maybe if she tried hard enough she could convince herself that those feelings were just because he was the only person she'd seen in months. 

 

****

 

Snape sat alone in the dark study, he wasn't ready to sleep yet. His mind kept playing over the last two hours. He'd told Hermione about Lily, he'd told her more about his childhood and life than he'd ever shared with anyone. The only other person he'd ever shared this much of his life with had been Lily. 

 

He was a private person, he couldn't remember ever wanting to share those stories with anyone before, but when she'd asked he'd found himself explaining before he realized what he was doing. He trusted her not to tell anyone, and he didn't know why. He just instinctively knew she'd keep his secrets. He was finding himself more and more drawn to her, wanting to talk to her, wanting to spend time with her. He wasn't sure how he felt about these developments. He hadn't felt compelled to spend time with anyone socially since…Lily. 

 

He was attracted to her, he'd tried to ignore and deny it for weeks now but he couldn't. The fact that he shared so much with her tonight made it undeniable. She wasn't his student anymore, she was an adult; a beautiful, intelligent woman that he's spent the last few months with. Not that she'd ever be interested in him, he wasn't that foolish. He had been once, with Lily, he'd believed she could love him but she couldn't. Hermione would be no different and he wasn't going to go down that path again so he'd continue to ignore what he was feeling. It wasn't as if he hadn't had years of experience at denying his feelings.


	10. Chapter 21-22

**Part Twenty One**

Where the hell was he? Hermione wondered as she paced the small study. He was only supposed to be apparating into town to get a few supplies, and he'd been gone for hours. Too long. She should've gone with him. She shouldn’t have let him talk her into staying home and researching. It had made sense when he said it, he was simply picking up a few groceries there was no reason for both of them to go to town for that and they'd get more done if one stayed behind. 

Another week had passed and they still hadn't gotten anywhere on locating that diadem. The answer was nagging at the back of her head, she just couldn't quite place it. She knew when she did figure it out it would be a painfully obvious answer; it always was, if she could just put her finger on it, single it out over the all the information rolling around her head about the horcruxes and Voldemort right now. 

That wasn't going to happen though until Severus returned, she couldn't concentrate on the books or anything else. The copies of the Daily Prophet they did get, and the Wizarding Wireless were all reporting Death Eaters everywhere, searching for the remaining Dumbledore supporters and of course, Muggle-borns. They didn't say he was a target but he was and if someone spotted him, she didn't want to think of what could happen. She glanced at her watch again, four hours. He'd been gone four hours to pick up groceries a few miles away, even the muggle way that was too long and he'd apparated into town. She was going to look for him, she couldn't wait anymore, she grabbed her cloak and reached for the door when it flew open, almost knocking her over in the process. Before she regained her balance she had her wand in her hand, pointing at the figure in the doorway. 

"Put your wand down, Hermione." 

"Sev—Severus?" She asked, she couldn't make out his face clearly beneath the hood of his cloak. 

"Yes," he said. He pushed the door closed and leaned back against it, pushing the hood away from his face. 

She gasped as the hood fell away; she dropped her own cloak and reached for him. "What happened? Death Eaters?" she asked, already knowing the answer. 

 

"No," he said pushing her hand away from his face, and he started to walk, falling against her as soon as he moved from the wall. 

 

Sighing she wrapped her arm and around his waist and helped him move to the study so he could sit. As soon as he was sitting she turned her attention back to injuries, summoning a first aid kit as she spoke, "No, it wasn't Death Eaters? Are you telling me a Muggle did this? I assume it wasn't Harry or Ron or they'd have been here with you." 

"Not a Death Eater. They do work for Voldemort though," he said, pushing her hands away once again as she tried to clean the wounds. "Will you stop that." 

 

"They need to be treated." 

 

"I'll do it myself," he said angrily. He didn’t want her touching him, and truthfully the injuries she could see were the least of the damage. "I need to lie down. We'll have to find another way to get supplies in, obviously we can't go back to town." 

 

"Severus, let me help…" she stopped at his glare and watched silently as he struggled to reach the steps and then to climb them. 

*****

Severus closed his door and began to slowly unbutton his shirt. Even the simple process was painful. He was starting to regret taking Hermione's advice to wear muggle clothing instead of Wizarding robes. Robes would've been easier to remove. It had taken all of his effort not to scream in agony when she'd wrapped her arms around his waist to help him walk. Even the slightest touch was painful. She had no idea that the injuries were as severe as they were, he didn't want her know. It was better that she believe the only injuries he'd sustained were from a beating, just cuts and bruises, nothing more. 

He dropped his shirt to the floor and looked at the large gashes slicing across his chest. He knew there were matching marks on his back as well. He'd been fortunate enough to never have seen that particular hex in action before tonight, although he'd have preferred not seeing its effects demonstrated on himself. He casts a quick cleansing charm to remove the blood and then another spell to stop the bleeding as best he could, but he was injured and tired and he was sure the spell wouldn’t be as effective as he'd like.

He couldn’t heal these wounds. Normal healing charms wouldn’t work, if there was one thing Death Eaters excelled at it was new, innovative ways to injure that couldn't be easily healed. There was a potion that would work, but he didn't have it available. He could make some in the morning, but now he just needed to sleep. 

*****

"Severus, do you want eggs for breakfast?" Hermione asked, knocking on his door. She waited several seconds and didn't get a reply. 

Frowning she knocked again. She'd already been downstairs and he wasn't there either. He was usually awake well before she was, so it was odd, but she hadn't worried too much, he'd been injured and probably need the rest. But it wasn't like him not to at least acknowledge her when she spoke to him. She listened carefully at the door, she didn't hear the water, he wasn't in the shower. She pulled her wand from her pocket and pushed the door open. He was still in bed, she wondered if his injuries were more severe than she thought. They didn’t' have any dreamless sleep draught so it wasn't likely he'd still be so soundly sleeping this late. 

She approached the bed slowly, not sure if she should wake him or not, part of her said to let him sleep, the other part was sure something was wrong. As she reached the bed, she had to stifle a scream as she saw the blood-soaked sheets. This was not from a few cuts and bruises. 

"Severus?" she said softly, touching his shoulder. When he didn't move she reached for the sheet and pulled it back slowly, gasping again when she saw the deep gashes covering his chest, all still bleeding.

She waved her wand over him, muttering the spell to stop the bleeding. Then she did a quick cleansing spell, before summoning the first aid kit. Not that she didn't trust magic but she didn't really know the proper cleaning spells for this sort of thing but she did know the muggle ways for cleaning wounds. She set the kit down on the bedside table and sighed. Cleaning the wounds would do no good if he was lying on the blood-soaked sheets. 

She went into the hall and grabbed clean sheets and went back to the bedroom. Now she just had to find a way to change the sheets with him still in the bed. She stared at the bed for several seconds then raised her wand, "Levicorpus," she said and watched him raise a couple feet from the bed. She quickly changed the sheets and lowered him back down. She spent the next hour carefully cleaning all of the wounds. When she finished she backed away and looked at him. It wasn't good that he hadn't so much as made a sound while she treated the wounds. He'd lost a lot of blood. She needed to do something. She quickly tried casting several healing charms, they didn’t work and she wasn't surprised. If it had been that easy, he would've done it himself, same with not using a potion. If they had a potion to fix this he'd have used it. She had to do something. She couldn't just wait and hope he woke up. She had no doubt a potion to heal this existed but she had no idea what they'd done to him so she had no way to know what to make. She simply didn't know enough about these kinds of spells. 

"I hope you don't hate me for this," she sighed, pulling the sheet back over him and leaving the room. She needed to get help for him and that meant doing something she knew he was against but she had to do it. She couldn't just sit here and wait for those injuries to kill him. 

Downstairs she waved her wand and watched as the silvery otter appeared before her. She quickly did the spell to send it with a message to Lupin and watched it disappear from view. She hoped Lupin would help, hope that he believed her, that Snape wasn't dangerous, that he was on their side that he needed to be saved. But for now, she could do nothing but wait for him to answer. She headed back upstairs and pulled a chair next to the bed, silently hoping Severus would wake up on his own soon, or that Lupin would respond quickly and that they could help him recover before it was too late. 

**Part Twenty Two**

Lupin watched the Patronus disappear after giving him Hermione's message. She needed to meet him right away. It was an emergency. Well, he thought, it solved the mystery of Snape holding her against her will. What concerned him was finding a way to safely meet with her. They needed to meet somewhere they wouldn't be spotted, by Order members or Death Eaters, so it needed to be somewhere outside the Wizarding world. At least he could be sure this wasn't a trap, that was the main reason Dumbledore had decided to have Order members use Patronuses to communicate, they wouldn't respond to dark magic so no one could force someone to use one, or copy someone else's.

He waved his wand, producing his own Patronus and quickly sent it to Hermione with a meeting place and time. He'd meet her in Muggle London tonight. Now he just needed to find a way to keep the boys from becoming suspicious when he left. She had made it clear she wanted him to come alone. 

****

"Hello, Hermione," Lupin said quietly as he approached the table.

She looked up from her menu and forced a smile. "Remus, you're alone, right?" She asked nervously.

"Yes, and it wasn’t easy," he admitted sliding into the booth across from her. "Where have you been? We received that one message from Snape saying the two of you were found and were in hiding and then nothing until your message today."

 

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "It was just too dangerous. Draco got away from Severus and he told the Death Eaters where Severus was hiding and they were attacking the house and the only way to prove him innocent was to stay and help him and now…"

 

"You have proof now?"

 

"No, not exactly. We've been looking for the Horcruxes and we've destroyed two more but that snake is probably one, and we can't get to that, and we aren't sure about the other's location," she said quickly. "But that's not why I wanted to meet you. Severus is injured, badly. He's not even conscious. He went to town to get supplies and was attacked. He didn’t tell me how badly he was hurt and then I found him this morning soaked in blood and healing spells aren't working and…"

"You need help," Lupin finished.

"Yes. I'm sure there must be a potion or something but I don't know what the hex was so I don't know what I need." 

 

"You're asking me to help you bring Dumbledore's murderer back into Order Headquarters," Lupin pointed out. 

 

Hermione frowned. She was going to have to tell him what she knew, but without telling him about Lily. She had given Severus her word she wouldn't repeated that to anyone. "He did kill Dumbledore but it was because Dumbledore told him to," she said. Then she spent the next hour explaining to him what she'd learned from Severus, and what they'd learned about the horcruxes. 

 

"Harry and Ron are not going to be happy about him being there," Lupin said when she'd finished. If what she was saying was true, and he had no doubt it was, they couldn't leave Severus to die so he'd help her bring him to Grimmauld Place he just wanted to point out the problems involved in doing so. "And none of us are particularly good with potions, Mad-Eye may be able to identify the curse used though."

 

"I can brew the potion if we know what I need to brew. Or at least what curse was used so I can find the right potion to brew." 

 

"Let's go fetch Severus then," Lupin said standing up. Mentally bracing himself for the war that would occur as soon as Harry and Ron realized where he'd been and that they were going to help Snape.  
***

"Sorry, we have to walk," Hermione said as they began making their way from the forest toward the cottage. "We can't apparate into the house for obvious reasons." 

 

"Lead the way, then." 

 

A few minutes later they were standing over Snape's bed. Lupin was frowning at the wounds. He'd never seen wounds like this. He'd seen similar ones from the spell Snape had developed as a teenager but these were worse. He hoped that Moody was able to identify the curse used to do this, Hermione was right, Snape had sacrificed too much for the Order to be allowed to die this way. 

"I guess this is where we test my abilities at side-along Apparation," Lupin said, levitating Snape from the bed and wrapping an arm around him. Are you okay with the luggage?"

 

"Yeah, I don't need my stuff since I assume all of my clothes are still at Headquarters so I only need to bring that one bag of clothes and research material."

 

"Let's go then," Lupin said, "Remember right outside Headquarters." 

A second later he disappeared, quickly followed by Hermione.


	11. Chapter 23

**Part twenty three**

Hermione stirred the potion boiling softly in the cauldron. Lupin had been right, Moody had known what hex had been used, and had even been able to direct her to the proper potion, although he had never brewed it himself. The potion was nearly ready, only a few more ingredients to be added in about ten minutes then they'd be able to start administering it to Severus and Moody said he'd be fine in a few days, but should at least wake up after the first dose. 

"How could you bring him here?" Harry yelled storming into the room, Ron following close behind him. "He killed Dumbledore!"

 

"You don't know the whole story," Hermione said, "And right now I don't have time to explain it. I need to get this potion done correctly so we can heal him."

 

She knew her friends deserved an explanation but right now, her main concern was helping Severus. She also knew neither of the boys was in the mood to listen to her anyway so she continued to stir the potion and ignore them. 

"Hermione, he kidnapped you," Ron said angrily. "He kidnapped you and you're brewing a potion to save his life." 

 

Sighing loudly she looked at both boys in turn. "He did not kidnap me. We were being attacked we had to go somewhere safe. It wasn't safe to come back here. He's still trying to help us." 

 

"Okay, so we do believe you that he had reasons for killing Dumbledore but Hermione, he's dangerous," Harry conceded.

"And he's Snape," Ron added. 

 

"If you know things aren't what you thought then I don't understand your reaction," Hermione said, adding the last ingredients to the potion as she spoke. "Severus and I have spent the last few months tracking down and destroying horcruxes for you and you're throwing a tantrum over helping him stay alive."

 

Ron's eyes narrowed, "It was you who broke into the Lestrange's vault, wasn't it?"

 

"Yes, and we destroyed the cup and the locket while we were there," she said, "Now I need to go give this to Severus."

Before either boy could respond she pushed past them carrying a vial of the potion that would heal his wounds and headed up the stairs.

 

"Did she just call him Severus?" Harry asked staring at her retreating form.

***

Snape opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room. This wasn't his room at the cottage. His eyes widened in shock as he realized where he was, he tried to sit up, how had he gotten here? He fell back to the mattress and glanced down at his chest. The wounds were healing. 

"You're awake," Hermione said sleepily from the chair near the window.

 

"How did we get here?" 

 

"You were unconscious I didn't know what else to do," she said walking over to the bed. "Lupin helped me bring you here, and Moody told me what potion to brew to heal the wounds."

 

"So I'm a prisoner now?" 

 

"No," Hermione answered pouring a potion for pain and the potion for his wounds into a glass and passing it to him. "They believe us. They have for some time apparently. Harry and Ron aren't happy you're here but even they've admitted you aren't working for Voldemort."

 

"Wonderful," Snape snapped, "I can die happy, Potter believes me."

 

"You two don't have to like each other, Severus," she said taking the glass back from him and setting it on the table. "But right now we all need to work together before Voldemort finds and kills all of us."

 

"There is nothing Potter can do to help me," he snarled.

 

"Really? Who do you know that knows of more places in that school that students aren't supposed to be? Harry's our best chance of figuring out where that diadem may be hidden." 

 

"I'm not staying here." 

 

"Severus," she sighed. "You need to stay. We need to stay. You aren't strong enough to go and if they found you in town how long before they find the cottage?" 

 

"You stay," he agreed. He didn't want her to be in danger and now that she was back here, she'd be safe enough. "I'm leaving."

 

"So you can walk into your own death?" She snapped angrily. "Even if you don’t care what happens to you, I do."

 

"Hermione, be reasonable," he sighed. "No one wants me here. I've survived alone before I can do so again. And if I don't, you are perfectly capable of leading Potter to a victory over the Dark Lord without me."

 

"It's not about Harry winning," she said, tears filling her eyes, "I don't want Harry to die, and I want Voldemort stopped obviously, but that's not why I want you to stay. I couldn't bear it if you died Severus. We've spent months together and I care about you, a lot. I know you may not feel the same way but I care about you. I thought in the last few months we'd at least become friends, but now you're telling me to just let you walk into your death like it's nothing."

 

Snape stared at her in shock. She cared about him? He hadn't expected that, they'd been getting along very well and he knew he was starting to care for her but he had never expected her to return even a fraction of his feelings. What he didn't know was how much she cared? Or if it was the stress of being in this situation causing her feelings, until he knew for sure he wasn't willing to reveal that part of himself but he was willing to stick around to find out. 

 

"I'll stay," he said softly, cringing when she suddenly hugged him. "Hermione, the wounds."


	12. Chapter 24

**Part Twenty Four**

"I don't understand how it can be this diadem if it's been missing for a thousand years," Ron said still confused after listening to Snape and Hermione explain everything they had found. 

"I don't understand how you could involve Hermione in something as dangerous as breaking into Gringotts," Harry said. 

They'd accepted that Snape wasn't the bad guy, and that he'd done a great deal to help them eventually destroy Voldemort but nothing Hermione had said had been able to make them let go of old prejudices. 

Snape looked at the two boys staring angrily at him, deciding to ignore Weasley's question because it had been answered more than once in the last hour, he said, "Potter, when was the last time you were able to stop Hermione from doing exactly as she wished to do?" 

"Well, I…" He frowned. He was right, of course, not that Harry would admit it, but Hermione did exactly as she pleased most of the time and if she wanted to go no one would've stopped her. "Fine."

 

"Ron, we already explained, the Gray Lady told Tom Riddle where she'd hid the diadem," Hermione said, knowing Ron would keep asking if someone didn't answer him.

 

"So now we need to figure out where he would've hid it when he returned," Fred said, "Do we have any ideas at all?" 

 

"One," Hermione said, "I think it might be at Hogwarts. When he came back with Quirrell they went almost immediately to the school and stayed there for the entire term."

 

"The school is also very important to him," Snape added. "As is showing up Dumbledore, he'd have been quite pleased if he could hide a Horcrux right under Albus's nose."

 

"So we go to the school and find it," Harry said. "What's the problem?"

 

"The problem is," Snape snapped, this was exactly why he didn't want to involve Potter in this search. "We can't simply go charging into a Death Eater controlled school and start searching. We need to know where to look and we don't. We just have a vague idea that it may be there, somewhere."

 

"And we need to know how to destroy it when we find it," George pointed out. "Using Fiendfyre in a Gringotts vault kept it contained; we can't burn down Hogwarts with all the students inside."

 

"I actually have an idea for that," Hermione offered. "At least I do now that we have Harry's help. Basilisk venom will destroy a Horcrux. If the dead one is still in the Chamber of Secrets Harry can get a fang and we can use that, just like he used it to destroy the diary." 

 

"So we'd split up once we were in the school?" Ron asked. "Is that safe?"

 

"Yeah, there are enough of us," Hermione pointed out, "It isn't as if we'd be going alone. There'd be at least two people together." 

 

"But none of that matters if we don’t know where the diadem is located," Lupin pointed out, "although Hermione's plan sounds good if we can figure out the rest."

 

Everyone sat in silence for several minutes, all looking at each other, trying to come up with a way to locate the diadem. 

Snape turned his attention to Fred and George, "Do either of you have any ideas? It seems two people who managed to cause so much havoc in their years at the school you must know all the places one could hide something."

 

"We've never seen anything like it," George sighed. "And we've been most everywhere in the school."

 

"Unless," Fred said, looking at Lupin suddenly, "The map wouldn’t show it would it? It's part of a soul."

 

"If it was an entire soul, like a ghost, maybe," Lupin answered. "But not a piece of one. If that were the case it seems that you or Harry would've spotted something labeled "Lord Voldemort" or "Tom Riddle" years ago." 

 

"True," Ron sighed, "It was a good idea though, unless it's hidden someplace that isn't on the map."

 

"The entire school grounds are on the map," Lupin pointed out.

 

"No it isn't," Harry said suddenly. "There is one room not on the map."

 

Hermione broke into a huge smile, "The Room of Requirement."

 

"Exactly," Harry answered. "And remember that time in sixth year I wanted to hide the book and there was that roomful of junk."

 

"Right," Ron agreed. "It was filled with lost stuff." 

 

"Sounds like the perfect place to hide something," Moody said, "Now how do we get in without being seen?"

 

"I may be able to help," Ginny said coming into the room.

 

"Ginny, you aren't supposed to be…" Fred said.

 

"If Mum finds out you…" George continued.

 

"I know, but I was listening and Mum isn't here," she pointed out. "Now I can get you into the Room of Requirement without being seen, do want my help or not?"

 

"Miss Weasley," Snape said, turning his attention Ginny, "Explain."

 

"With all the problems at school now with the Carrows there we've sort of reformed the D.A. It's not the same without you guys, but," Ginny explained. "We've been hiding out in the Room of Requirement and using it as your headquarters just like before but one day after Neville got a particularly bad beating from the Carrows we found this passageway that leads to the Hogshead. Aberforth has been letting us use it to get out of the school when we need to. I'm sure he'll let us use it to get you all in."

 

Snape nodded, the Room of Requirement, he'd heard rumors of it but had never actually seen it himself. If they could get in through there they would have the diadem without ever entering the main part of the school. 

 

"Someone explain how this room works," he said. 

 

Harry quickly explained what he had learned and figured out about the room and how to find it. "So if we can make it turn into that room I hid your book in last year that's probably where the diadem is."

 

"Now we just need to organize a way in," Lupin said. 

 

Snape nodded his agreement. "We should divide up into four groups. Hermione and I will search for the diadem, Potter and Weasley can you get to the chamber and retrieve the fang and make it back unseen?"

 

"Yeah, we can use the cloak," Harry answered.

 

"We need a couple people to find the staff that is with us, McGonagall, Flitwick, even Trelawny."

 

"We'll do it," Fred and George said in unison.

 

"With the map it should be easy enough," George explained. "You still have it, right, Harry?"

 

Harry nodded. "And Remus and Mad-Eye can gather everyone else and get them into the castle."

 

Snape agreed. "It's safe to assume that the Dark Lord will be expecting you. Unless something has changed and you've mastered Occlumency since Hermione left."

 

Harry started to argue, when Hermione stepped between them. "You haven't, Harry, have you? So he's right. You may not like it but Voldemort is going to know the second we move on the school."

"Now that we have a plan, we should do this as quickly as possible," Lupin suggested. 

 

"Holiday's end tomorrow," Ginny said, "We can get you in tomorrow night."


	13. Chapter 25

**Part 25**

As anticipated the school was crawling with Death Eaters by the time they arrived in Hogsmeade. Harry had been unable to block that they were going to school from Voldemort. Not that Snape doubted the Dark Lord hadn't long ago anticipated that Potter would try to go back to the school and had simply been lying in wait for him to show up. They had, fortunately made it into the school with very little trouble, and as promised the Room of Requirement was waiting at the other end of the tunnel. As were several students, ready and willing to join the battle. 

"Absolutely not," Snape insisted. "We cannot bring a bunch of children into this battle."

"We want to fight," Ginny insisted. 

"No," Molly said firmly. "You are not old enough, you are going right back through that tunnel to Hogsmeade and wait there."

 

"No." 

"What about those of us that are of age?" Neville asked. Lavender and several other seventh years nodding in agreement.

 

Snape looked at the students. Technically they really couldn't do anything about the older ones that were of age, and they were allowing Harry, Ron, and Hermione to fight. "Those of you that are of age can stay, everyone else out." 

 

As the younger students filed out of the tunnel, led by Molly Weasley who was going to wait for Lupin, Moody and the others at the Hogshead, Snape turned to the twins. "Go find the staff, have them get the other students out and tell them the others are their way."

"We'll go get the basilisk fang," Harry said, as Fred and George left, "We'll meet you back here as quickly as possible. "If it helps to find the right room, that day I just kept saying I needed someplace to hide something."

Once everyone was out of the room Severus turned to Hermione, "How do we make the room become what we want?"

"I think we need to leave and then go back in, I've never seen it change while someone was in here before." 

 

She turned to leave the room and he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Wait," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small bottle. "That snake has to be destroyed, and it'll likely be Potter that gets close enough to do so. This is anti-venom for it. If he's bit you need to get this into him as quickly as possible." 

Hermione stared at the bottle in her hand. "You're giving me something to save Harry?" 

 

"I never wanted him dead," Snape admitted. "I don't like him, but I don't want him dead. And he's important to you." 

 

"What if it's someone else? Or I'm not around? Maybe you should keep it."

 

"Much of this battle will be up to the rest of you," he admitted, "I will be dead as soon as I'm spotted. You need to make sure they make it out safely."

 

Hermione frowned at him, she hadn't thought about the danger of him coming here. He was right, in many ways he was in more danger than the rest of them. Voldemort considered him a traitor. "Don't say that, you'll be fine. We'll all be fine."

 

"Don't be naive," he snapped. "This is a war, the chances of all making it out alive are very slim."

 

"Severus."

 

"Let's just do this," he said, turning away, not wanting to see the pain in her eyes. 

***

Harry and Ron raced through the bathroom door and stood in front of the large sink. Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on the parseltongue necessary to open the chamber. He still wasn't accustomed to intentionally using it. He started to speak.

"Stop right there Potter." 

 

Harry and Ron both turned at the sound of the familiar voice, wands in hand. 

"Malfoy, what are you doing here?" Ron said angrily.

 

"I knew you'd show up here," he answered. "Father told me to wait here for you, that Snape would be with you and I was supposed to bring Snape to him if I found him."

 

"Well, he's not here," Harry said, "Obviously." 

Part of Harry's mind said to attack first, not to take a chance, but the other part of him couldn't bring himself to just attack when Malfoy had only threatened Snape, not himself. 

"I'm sure you'll do just as well," Draco sneered. "Petrifi—"

 

As soon as Harry realized Draco's wand was pointing at Ron's chest he pointed his own and shouted, "Expeliarmus!" His hand reached out and grabbed the wand as it flew through the air into his hand. 

At the same time Ron had shouted his own spell, effectively petrifying Draco, who fell backwards to the floor. "What do we do with him now?" 

"We need him out of here," Harry sighed, "There's an empty classroom next door, let's move him there."

 

***  
"This is going to take longer than we thought to find it," Snape said looking around at the piles of discarded items that had been collecting in the school since well before he had been a student. "I had no idea when Potter said the room was full of lost junk that he literally meant, _full_."

 

Hermione frowned, she didn’t say it, but she agreed with him. There was much more here than she had imagined. She was also still distracted by what Severus had said earlier about him being killed. Had it been a bad idea for him to come here? They probably could've done this without him. After six years of wanting nothing more than to get away from Severus Snape she suddenly was finding herself overwhelmed at the idea of actually living without him now. She loved him, and it frightened her more than she wanted to admit that he could die without her ever telling him, with him dying believing that because Harry's mother couldn't love him, no one would. 

"Severus, I…" her voice trailed off as her mind wandered from what she intended to say as she looked around the room once more.

 

Yes?" When she didn't immediately answer he stood up from the pile he was searching through and added, "Hermione, what was it you wanted to say?"

 

"Oh sorry, I was thinking," she said, she still wanted to tell him, but finding the diadem was more important. "Can I accio it the same way I did in the vault?" 

 

"I don't see why not."

 

"Well, I'm just concerned about another Horcrux being so close," she pointed out, "I don't want to accidentally have a giant snake come flying through the window."

 

"He's in the forest and Nagini will be with him," I highly doubt your spell will carry that far, even as powerful as you are." 

"Accio Horcrux!" 

Severus watched as the diadem flew from a old bust in the farthest corner of the room directly to Hermione's hand. She turned to him with a smile on her face. "It worked." 

The door flew open and Harry and Ron ran in before he could reply. Hermione held the diadem up to for them to see. The boys pushed the door closed and Ron showed them the two fangs they'd been able to retrieve from the chamber. 

"We need to hurry," Harry said, "Malfoy found us before we could get in the Chamber and it's only a matter of time before he gets free and comes looking for us."

"Which Malfoy?" Snape asked. 

 

"Draco," Ron answered, "But there's a lot of fighting downstairs so I assume they're all here somewhere." 

 

Hermione handed Harry the diadem. "Here, you destroyed the last thing that had to be destroyed with that, so you know more than we do." 

 

"Last time you'll ever hear that from her," Ron told Harry. 

Snape bit back his own smile, but silently agreed with him. Not only because Hermione rarely admitted to not knowing something, but it was unlikely for there to be many situations where either of her friends had knowledge that she didn’t.

 

Harry found an empty spot on the cluttered floor by kicking some things from this path and set the diadem in front of him. Kneeling down on the floor he raised the fang in the air and stabbed he diadem with all the force he could. He repeated his actions a few more times until the diadem began to crumble to ash. 

 

"Now what?" Ron asked. "I mean, we can't just stab the snake, right?"

"I doubt it'll be that easy," Hermione sighed. 

 

"Oh, I almost forgot," Harry said looking at Snape, "Malfoy. He wasn't looking for me, he was looking for you." 

"Me?" 

 

"Yes, he said his father sent him to get you, that's why he was waiting there, he figured you'd be with me and I'd try to get in the chamber."

 

"What could he possibly want with Severus?" Hermione asked.

 

"Will you stop calling him that?" Ron moaned. "It's just wrong."

 

"No I won't," she sighed, "And we can fight about the people I choose to love later. Right now we have to figure out why Malfoy wanted him."

 

Snape's eyes narrowed at Hermione's words. He didn't acknowledge them because he certainly wasn't discussing his feelings with Potter and Weasley and he wasn't even sure that Hermione had realized what she'd said. 

"We need to get to the Headmaster's office," Snape said suddenly. "The headmaster's have been privy to every conversations the Carrows have had in that office. If anyone will know what's going on, Albus will."

 

"You sure they'd discuss something like that in there?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, they make up for what they lack in intelligence in arrogance," he assured her, "It would never occur to either of them that the portraits would be loyal to anyone but them."


	14. chapter 26

**Part 26**

There wasn't room under the invisibility cloak for four adults so it was decided that Harry was the one that most needed to be hidden, too much depended on his staying alive until the last Horcrux was destroyed for them to risk him being seen. So, with Harry under the cloak they made their way as quickly and silently as possible through the school to the Headmaster's office, Snape leading them to the dungeons through the secret entrance he had used so many times in the past. 

"I never saw this here before," Harry whispered as they climbed the stairs to the office.

"It's hidden for a reason, Potter," Snape snapped.

"Why would there be an entrance the students don't know about?" Ron asked.

 

"That's why it's hidden, Weasley," Snape said, scowling. "If students were aware of it, it wouldn’t be hidden."

 

"Could please not fight with each other," Hermione snapped as she pushed open the heavy door. "We have enough people to fight without turning on each other."

"Well said, Miss Granger," Dumbledore's smiling portrait said from across the room. "I see you've worked out your difference with Severus, Harry." 

"Right, sort of," Harry answered, not sure he'd go as far as to say they'd worked out their differences. 

"Albus, we aren't here to chat," Snape said, getting immediately to the point to avoid a long a rambling discussion with the portrait. "Draco Malfoy was trying to ambush me for his father or the Dark Lord and we don't know why."

 

"I see you bested him."

 

"Potter and Weasley did, I wasn't present. We need to know what he wanted. Do you know? Have you heard anything?"

 

"I do not know," Dumbledore admitted. "I can make a guess if you'd like."

 

All four nodded in unison. Of course they wanted him to guess, his theories were usually more accurate than anyone else would come up with. 

"Do you know the story of _The Tale of Three Brothers_?" 

 

Hermione and Harry both shook their heads. They had no idea what he was talking about. Had it been something they learned in a class? 

"I'm afraid I'm not as conversant in fairy tales as you are, Albus," Snape snapped. "What do children's stories have to do with Malfoy?" 

"Wait, I know this story," Ron said suddenly. "Mum used to read it to us all the time. It's the one about the brothers that wanted to cheat death, right? The true invisibility cloak so death couldn't find one, a stone to bring back the dead, and one had an invincible wand, right?"

"Very good, Mr. Weasley." 

"What does this have to do with anything, Albus?" 

 

"All fairy tales have a basis in reality," Dumbledore explained. "Surely you've heard the stories of the Elder Wand?" 

 

"Yes, more fairy tales, only these are ones told by adults," he sighed. "But the last story had it missing for the more than fifty years, taken from a wand maker if I remember correctly." 

Before Dumbledore could explain further Dippet's figure appeared in his portrait and whispered in his ear. "Go, the Carrows are on their way up." 

The four of them ran quickly down the hidden entrance and back into the dungeons. As they leaned against the wall catching their breath they looked at each other, talking to Dumbledore had gotten them nowhere.

"What now?" Ron asked. 

"I go find Nagini," Harry said, it has to be destroyed, and I can't avoid facing him forever.

"I'll go with you," Ron said, then looked at Snape and Hermione. "You coming?" 

"No, and neither are you," Harry said, "I have to do this alone."

"You can't—"

"Ron, go downstairs and join the fight with the rest of the Order. I have to be the one to kill Voldemort, there's no reason for all of us to go and risk everything."

"He's right," Hermione agreed. "He needs to do this alone. We're going to be of more good here in the castle."

Harry threw the cloak back over his head and ran off when Ron turned to argue with Hermione. Before Ron could say anything more Nick floated into view.

"Mr. Weasley," he said when he saw them, "You should know your sister has come back into the school and is joining the fight."

"Mum told her not—" he said, already running toward the stairs leading to the great hall, "I have to find her." 

 

"Ready to fight?" Snape asked, turning his attention to Hermione.

 

"We still need to know what Dumbledore was talking about with that story."

 

"Library then? I'm sure there's a copy in there."

***

"Shh," Snape said, and motioned to Hermione to be quiet. 

"I'll find him, Draco. Just get out of here, go to Hogsmeade with the other students."

"I want to stay and…"

"Do I as I say." 

Snape pushed Hermione into an empty classroom. "Stay here, no matter what you hear do not leave this room while he's out here." 

"What about you?"

"I can't run forever," he whispered, "If Lucius is trying to find me, he will eventually." 

"Severus," Hermione pleaded, "This is ridiculous. You're walking into what is likely a death sentence. Just stay in here until he passes." 

"He'll keep looking. I'm eventually going to be caught."

"Then I'll come with you." 

"No," he insisted. "There is no reason for us both to be killed. Someone needs to get to the library and figure out what Albus was talking about."

He turned and started to walk out the door to face Lucius. He hadn't been lying to her, he'd be found eventually. He had a better chance against Lucius than many of the others that may be searching for him. 

"Severus, wait," Hermione said, "I—"

"Hermione," he said, turning around. "Don't say it. Not now."

"You don't know what…"

"Yes I do, you said it earlier," he said softly, "don't say it again. Not now. If we survive this we'll discuss it then."

Before she could say anymore he'd walked out of the room, pulling the door closed and ran directly into Lucius Malfoy. 

"Severus," Lucius said, taking a step back and tightening his grip on his own wand. 

"I heard you were looking for me?" Snape said, "Plan on taking me out yourself, gain more favor with the Dark Lord for bringing down the traitor?"

"I have no favor with him any longer," Lucius answered. "I need to speak to you." 

Lucius reached for the door Snape had just exited. Inside the room, Hermione saw Lucius' shadow moving closer to the door and quickly cast a locking charm so the door wouldn't open. 

"Just say what you want to say, Lucius," Snape said, ignoring the puzzled look on his face when the door wouldn't open and was just relieved Hermione could think fast on her feet.

Lucius glanced around nervously before speaking. "He's looking for you."

"He's been looking for me for nearly a year."

"It's not about killing Dumbledore for Draco," Lucius said. "He doesn't want us to kill you, he wants you alive. He's been very clear on that. It has something to do with your wand."

"My wand?" 

"Yes. He's been quite clear that no one is to kill or even disarm you, just bring you to him." 

"Where is he now?" 

"Are you insane?" Lucius asked. "You can't go to him."

"Running will not accomplish anything," Snape sighed. He was tired of having this conversation with everyone he spoke to. 

"Severus," Lucius began then stopped when they heard voices moving toward them. "He's in the shrieking shack. He's waiting there until he finds you before confronting Potter."

Before Snape could reply Lucius took off toward the voices, leaving him alone. The door opened slightly and Hermione's hand came out and grabbed him, pulling him into the room.

"For once I agree with a Malfoy," she hissed, "Are you insane? You cannot go to that madman, with no idea what he wants."

"I can and I will," he whispered. "If Lucius is right none of this will end until he finds me."

"Then I'm coming with you," she said, folding her arms across her chest. 

"No, you certainly are not," he snapped. "There is no reason for us both be in danger."

"I'm going," she argued. "You said yourself not that long ago, you can't stop me if I truly want to do something."

"Fine, but you go through the passage under the Whomping Willow and you stay there, do not come out."

"I won't show myself unless I have to," she agreed.

"Hermione, stay in the passage until he is gone." 

"I'll stay until I have no other choice." 

He rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to win this argument. Even if she made the promise he wanted he knew she'd do as she pleased anyway. 

"Fine, let's go."


	15. Chapter 27

**Part Twenty Seven**

Hermione crept as close to the crate blocking the exit of the passageway as she dared without risking being seen. Severus had gone through the other passageway, the one that led to Honeydukes, so he wouldn’t alert Voldemort to the existence of the passage she was in. She peered through the small space between the wall and the crate and tried to make out what was in the room. Severus hadn't arrived yet. 

The room was dark, only a few candles lighting it, but it was enough for her to see the edge of the table and what she assumed was Voldemort's pale hand, toying with a wand that was sitting on the table. She could also see the giant snake, Nagini, floating, relaxed, in a giant sphere keeping her suspended in mid air. She frowned, the snake was here, now on top of worrying about Severus being in there she had to worry that Harry wouldn't manage to track down that thing and show up here as well. And she still had to figure out what Dumbledore was talking about when he was going on about _The Tale of Three Brothers_ and a mythical invincible wand. 

"My Lord," Severus' voice came to her clearly, even though she couldn’t see him with the crate in her way. 

"I have a problem, Severus." Hermione wasn't sure she'd ever really heard Voldemort speak before and was surprised by how high and clear his voice was, she'd almost expected him to sound as much like a snake as he looked. 

"My Lord?" 

"Why doesn’t this work for me?" Voldemort asked. He'd moved from his seat and Hermione could see him holding a wand in his outstretched hand. 

"My—my Lord?" Severus repeated again, sounding every bit as confused as Hermione felt. "I do not understand. You—you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand."

"No, I have performed my usual magic. I am extraordinary, but this wand…no. It has not revealed the wonders it has promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago." 

That wasn't his wand? That was odd, Hermione thought, it wasn't as if he hadn't been powerful with the old one, why would he get a new one? Had he damaged it? Lost it?

"No difference," Voldemort said, pulling Hermione back to the scene in front of her. 

Severus wasn’t speaking and it worried Hermione. Voldemort was unstable at best, deadly at worst. Was there danger she couldn't see? Was he just trying to find the right words…

"I have thought long and hard, Severus…Do you know why I have called you back to me?"

"No, my Lord, but I beg you will let me return to you. Let me find Potter." 

"You sound like Lucius. Neither of you understands Potter as I do. He does not need finding. Potter will come to me. I know his weakness, you see, his one great flaw. He will hate watching the others struck down around him, knowing that it is for him that it happens. He will want to stop it at any cost. He will come." 

He was absolutely right. Harry wouldn't be able to let this battle go on for long, not if he believed seeking out Voldemort would stop his friends from dying. That was really exactly what Harry was trying to do now. 

As Voldemort moved closer to the crate she could see the wand in his hand more clearly. It looked familiar. She'd seen it before, but it wasn't his. She'd seen someone else with it….

"But my Lord, he might be killed accidentally by one other than yourself—"

"My instructions to my Death Eaters have been perfectly clear. Capture Potter. Kill his friends—the more, the better – but do not kill him. But it is of you that I wished to speak, Severus, not Harry Potter. You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable."

Now Hermione was thoroughly confused. Severus had been valuable? Had they all been wrong in assuming Voldemort wanted him dead? Where had she seen that wand?

"My Lord knows I seek only to serve him. But—let me go and find the boy, my Lord. Let me bring him to you. I know I can—"

"I have told you, no! My concern at the moment, Severus, is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!"

"My Lord, there can be no question, surely –?"

"—But there is a question, Severus. There is. Why did both wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter?" 

"I—I cannot answer that, my Lord." 

"Can't you?" 

He was holding out the wand now, and Hermione gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. The wand. That was it. She knew where she'd seen it. It was an elder wand…Dumbledore had an elder wand. 

Elder Wand. That story. The invincible wand was made of elder wood, Dumbledore had specifically asked them if they'd heard stories of an Elder Wand. Did he have it? Snape had said it'd been missing for over fifty years stolen from a wand maker. Dumbledore wouldn't have stolen it though. But he would've been smart enough to not advertise the fact he had it if he did obtain it. 

Now her mind was searching over everything she'd read or learned about wands their ownership. Ollivander said that the wand chooses its owner, but a wand could be won in a battle. The winner of the battle was automatically the wand's new owner. You had to win it though; you couldn't just pick up someone's wand and use it. It wouldn’t work properly. How had he won it? It would've been long ago with someone else who would've known not to publicize…

Grindelwald, could he have been the one to have stolen it? Everyone believed him to be unstoppable for a long time, until Dumbledore…

But what did that have to do with Severus? She could understand why Voldemort would want that wand if he'd figured out Dumbledore had been its owner but why was he looking for Severus he'd obviously found a way to get the wand himself. 

"My wand of yew did everything of which I asked it, Severus, except to kill Harry Potter. Twice it failed. Ollivander told me under torture of the twin cores, told me to take another's wand. I did so, but Lucius' wand shattered upon meeting Potter's."

"I have no explanation, my Lord."

Hermione could see Severus now, he wasn't watching Voldemort. He was staring at Nagini. 

"I sought a third wand, Severus. The Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick. I took it from its previous master. I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore."

Hermione saw Severus' face pale as the realization hit him, and her, at the same time. Taking Dumbledore's wand from Dumbledore after death did no good, he'd been defeated by someone else already. Voldemort hadn't actually won the wand. Someone else controlled it already. Severus had been the one to defeat Dumbledore. 

"My Lord—let me go to the boy—"

"All this long night, when I am on the brink of victory, I have sat here, wondering, wondering, why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be, refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner…and I think I have the answer."

Hermione watched as Severus grew paler, eyes still fixed on the snake floating in the giant sphere. Her own hand went into her pocket and clutched the small bottle of anti-venom he'd given her to hold for Harry. She'd been right; it wasn't Harry that was going to need it. 

"Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant and I regret what must happen."

"My Lord—"

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true mater. The Elder Wad belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine."

"My Lord!" Snape said, raising his wand. 

"It cannot be any other way. I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand and I master Potter at last." 

Hermione watched in horrified silence as Voldemort's wand swiped through the air and the magical cage holding the snake floated over Severus, and slowly lowered over him, trapping him with the giant snake. She watched as its fangs dug into his neck and his eyes roll back as he passed out. She watched as Voldemort moved the cage once more, lowering it to the ground, and releasing the snake inside and then walked out the door, Nagini following behind. 

***

Her mind reeling from what she had seen, she pointed her wand at the heavy crate and watched it fly into the room, out of her way. She crawled through the tunnel, keeping her wand in her hand. She couldn’t be sure he wouldn't return, but she was sure she was angry enough to kill him herself. She moved as quickly as she could, staying low in case someone could see her through the windows and knelt next to Severus. 

Hermione pulled the small bottle of antidote from her pocket. She hoped she wasn't too late, he hadn't explained anything other than it was the antidote if Nagini attacked Harry. She had no idea how long she had to administer it. With tears running down her face, she lifted his head onto her lap and carefully took the stopper from the bottle. She carefully emptied the bottle into his mouth and held waited until she was sure he had swallowed it all before lowering his head back to the ground and crawling to the side to watch him. 

After several moments without movement she began to worry. Had she been too late? Was he already dead? She barely took notice of the lights from curses flying outside the shack, beyond a small thought that it was about time the people of Hogsmeade fought back. She crawled back over to him, and touched his chest lightly. His heart was beating. He was alive, but why wasn't he waking up. 

"Severus," she whispered through her tears. "You can't do this to me. Not now, not when I finally found someone I love. You can't die and leave me alone now. I know you said not to say it and I know you probably think it's some little girl crush but I do love you." 

***

He couldn't move, couldn't even open his eyes but he could hear her. He could sense the moment she'd come through the tunnel, he'd actually felt himself relax for the first time in, well, in years when he felt her presence. 

She was crying, he could hear it in her voice and he wanted to comfort her, wanted to tell her he was okay, that it would just take some time for the antidote to fully take effect. Comfort her. Where had that thought come from, he'd never wanted to comfort anyone in his life. Yet, right at this moment hearing the tears so clearly in her voice that's all he wanted to do. 

She was saying it again, saying she loved him. He'd told her not to say it. Saying it makes it real, she shouldn't have done that, not now. Not when he could die. Not when she could die. Saying it would only make it harder. She didn't understand, but he did. 

He'd said it once. He'd admitted to loving someone more than anything in the world and then it had all gone wrong. Lily hadn't loved him, but he'd still held hope that it would change and she would love him one day. Then she'd died, and all hope was gone for him. Hope of loving or being loved had been destroyed in one well-placed curse by the Dark Lord. He had known in the moment he'd heard the news that he shouldn't have made it real, shouldn’t have told her or anyone else then it wouldn't have hurt so much. 

Yet, he found himself wanting to tell her that she was wrong. That he could and did return her feelings. That for the first time in nearly nineteen years he did love someone. Perhaps not someone he should love, but he did love her. And he would tell her. Not now, maybe not today, but when this was over, if they both lived…

"Hermione," he forced the words out, voice barely above a whisper. 

He moved his arm slowly, he hurt, but the antidote was working. The bleeding stopped and the bite wounds were healing. He could move and open his eyes; thankful for the dim lighting in the room, he wasn't sure he could handle a bright light just yet. Her head was on his chest though, and he couldn't breathe, he needed her to move.

"Severus?" She lifted her head and looked into his open eyes. "You're okay." 

"Not okay, but alive," he said, pushing himself into a sitting position. "We need to get out of here."

"You can barely sit up, give it a few minutes," she argued. "How long have you been awake?" 

"Long enough." 

"So you heard what I said?" She asked hesitantly.

He pushed himself to his feet. Now that the potion was working his strength was returning quickly. He had developed and brewed that particular potion knowing if it was ever needed the user wouldn't have too much time to recover and get away. 

"I told you this isn't the time to discuss it." 

"Will you quit saying that," she said angrily, "You make it sound like I'm interrupting your meal to ask why I didn't get an O on my last essay!"

"The Dark Lord has the one thing he apparently needed to successfully murder _your_ friend," he snapped. "What is more important to you, forcing me to have a conversation I do not wish to have at this time, or saving Potter?"

"Harry, obviously, but—" 

"Good, because I don't intend to let Lily's son die," Snape said already moving toward the tunnel. "Not even if he looks like his father."

"This is all about Lily, isn't it?" Hermione asked. "You don't want to talk about this because of Lily?" 

"Yes," he agreed. "This has everything to do with Lily, but not for the reasons you believe."


	16. chapter 28

**Part Twenty Eight**

Hermione and Snape ran into the great hall, blocking curses as they ran. They had barely spoken on the way back to the school, a fact that pleased Severus, but only seemed to be increasing Hermione's annoyance. She did, however, realize that the important thing was that they get to Harry before he found Voldemort. Hermione had briefly believed that Harry was safe, or as safe as he could be, because Voldemort hadn't succeeded in killing Severus, but he had pointed out that death was not necessary, only defeating him, which he had done. The wand would work for Voldemort and if the stories of the Elder Wand held even a small amount of truth Harry couldn’t fight it. 

As Hermione raced through the door she collided with Draco, the impact pushing her back into Severus. Her wand automatically going up defensively, ready to disarm him, Snape grabbed her hand, pushing her wand down, he pointed his own at Draco. 

"Where's Potter?" 

"Why would I know?" Draco sneered. "Or help you? You're a traitor." 

Snape took a deep breath. "You don't believe any of this is right, Draco. Look around you, how many have to die? Where is Potter?"

"He summoned everyone that isn't fighting, and all of his top men to the Forbidden Forest, I think Potter's headed there," Draco said, "But it's too late. Aunt Bellatrix says he has what he needs now to defeat Potter."

Before they could question him any further Draco ran out of the hall. Hermione watched him retreat up the stairs to the second floor before turning her attention back to Snape. 

"What do we do now?" She shouted over the commotion around them, "Are we too late?" 

"We aren't too late yet," Snape assured her. "Trust me if he defeats Potter we'll all know." 

"Go find him," she pleaded. 

"Me?"

"Well yes, you have a better idea where to look, and can probably move through the forest faster than I can. I'll stay here and help. We can use that telepathy spell that I learned when I first found you, to keep in contact." 

"Open the connection," he sighed, her reasoning was sound, although he wasn't sure he wanted to leave her alone in the middle of the fighting. "I don't know the spell."

She waved her wand and muttered the incantation to activate the connection. _Be careful_. 

He nodded his agreement and ran out the door, glancing back once, wanting to go back to her, protect her from the dangers in that room. He saw Lupin approach her and the two of the run further into the room and he turned his own attention back to finding Potter. 

As he ran he tried to listen in on what was happening in the castle. Hermione was too focused on what she was doing to keep him informed and all he could get from her mind was fear and commotion. Occasionally a spell she had cast would come through clearly to him and she seemed to be holding her own. She'd found Ron and Percy Weasley. It looked like the older boy had finally come to his senses. 

_"Mudblood."_

The familiar voice rang through her mind clearly and Severus froze in his tracks. Why wasn't she in the forest with the others? Draco had said everyone was being summoned. It didn’t matter, why she was still in the castle, not really. He turned around and headed back, he wasn't going to lose someone else. 

***

Hermione spun around to face Bellatrix as Percy and Ron were distracted by Fenrir Greyback's attack on Lavender. She glanced quickly around her, everyone was busy fighting, she was on her own this time. Not that she didn’t have confidence her abilities or in the spells Severus had taught her but she hadn't planned on being completely alone to face someone as insane as Bellatrix Lestrange either. 

"You were the one that broke into my vault." 

Hermione wasn't sure what she was expected to say so she remained silent. She could try to answer but antagonizing her didn't seem like a good idea so she just stared, wand clutched tightly and aimed at Bellatrix. She may not want to fight this battle but she wasn't going to go down without a fight either. 

"Did you think I wouldn't know? That I wouldn't find out?" Bellatrix yelled, moving closer. "That you would get away with stealing from me?" 

The rest of the room had fallen silent when Bellatrix started yelling. All eyes were now focused on the two women in the center of the room. The fighting had virtually come to a standstill now. The Death Eaters remaining in the castle were aware that she had been waiting for this chance since the day she learned that a Mudblood had found a way into her vault and didn't want to miss what was sure to be a messy, painful death for at least part of the group that had thwarted them so often in the last few years.

"I didn't steal from you," Hermione pointed out. "We didn't take a single thing from that vault."

 

Bellatrix raised her wand and screamed "Crucio!" 

Hermione quickly waved her own wand, silently blocking the spell from hitting her, then quickly casting a stunning spell. Part of her wanted to simply disarm the other woman, it would effectively keep her safe but that wasn't good enough and she knew it. As much as she hated the idea of using an Unforgivable she yelled her own, "Crucio!" Before Bellatrix had a chance to recover from the stunning spell.

Ron started to run forward, to help Hermione, as Bellatrix fell to the ground screaming in pain. Moody grabbed his arm and held him back. 

"Don't," he said quietly, "if you break her concentration Bellatrix will kill her."

"But she…"

Before he could finish his sentence he was knocked over by a spell that hit his back. Everyone started running and shouting spells again as he got to his feet and turned his attention to the Death Eaters that had stayed behind. 

Hermione kept her wand pointed at carefully at Bellatrix. She watched the other woman writhing in pain on the ground. She had hated practicing this spell on a spider and she truly hated doing it to another human being. She saw Bellatrix's wand on the floor a few feet away and moved slowly, toward it. She needed to get it before she could release the spell. If Bellatrix had her wand when the spell was broken she'd never walk away from this fight. Before she reached the wand she heard Tonks scream Remus' name and she turned toward the shout, her attention off of her spell and Bellatrix for just a few seconds. 

***  
Snape ran into the great hall and was scanning the room for Hermione and Bellatrix. He'd heard Bellatrix cast the Cruciatus curse through Hermione and then he'd heard nothing. No thoughts, no feelings nothing. The connection had been broken. 

He spotted Hermione and ran toward her. He was a few feet away when Bellatrix stood up and lunged toward Hermione. Without taking the time to consider why she was physically attacking her, he shouted, "Hermione!" 

As Hermione turned toward the sound of her name, he threw himself toward her pushing her away from Bellatrix grasp and shouted "Avada Kedavra!" and pointed his wand at Bellatrix. Green light shot from his wand as she fell to the ground. 

"Severus," Hermione gasped, pulling herself back to her feet from where she'd fallen when he'd pushed her. "I thought you were finding Harry?" 

"You—" he pulled her into a tight hug, "I heard her, yelling at you and then she—when she cast Cruciatus the connection ended and I thought—"

"I had to close the connection," she said, pulling away from him, "I couldn’t concentrate on her and keep the connection open."

 

"I thought I'd lost you," he sighed. "You frightened half to death."

Hermione bit back a small smile. He'd come back because he thought she was in danger. He'd put himself in danger to protect her. He may not be willing to say the words but "You love me too, even if you won't say it you do?" 

"Hermione, not---"

Before he could continue a voice rang from outside. 

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran way, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone." 

Hermione screamed and ran for the doors.


	17. 29

**Part 29**

Severus ran out of the Great Hall, trying to find Hermione in the pandemonium that had broken out at Voldemort's announcement. He couldn't see her in the crowd, but he did see Hagrid standing near Voldemort carrying Potter's body. They had no chance of winning now. The prophecy had been fulfilled, Harry Potter was dead and soon the rest of them would join him. He needed to find Hermione, needed to be sure she was safe.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort's voice rang out over the crowd and with a flash of light everyone fell silent. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"

He watched in forced silence as Hagrid set Potter at the Dark Lord's feet. 

"You see?" Voldemort said as he paced in front of the body on the ground. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!" 

"He beat you!" Severus heard Ron Weasley's voice yell out, breaking the charm. He knew Hermione would be near the boy so he immediately started scanning the crowd in the area the voice had come from, searching for her. He saw her, as he thought standing near the Weasley boy and he began to move toward them slowly and silently. 

***

Hermione stared at Harry's body in shock. Harry was gone. He had tried to face Voldemort alone and was killed. He was dead because Severus had gone to meet Voldemort and had nearly been killed for facing him. Voldemort had disarmed Severus, even if he hadn't been able to kill him, it had given him control of Dumbledore's wand; the Elder Wand. If only Severus had known earlier than he was the rightful master of an unbeatable wand, that by fulfilling Dumbledore's wishes that night on the tower he could've taken the wand and…Her mind suddenly reeled back to the what she had seen in the pensieve, both Harry's and Severus', he had killed Dumbledore but Dumbledore was unarmed at the time could it be that…

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," Voldemort said, "Killed while trying to save himself—"

A flash of light broke out again, Hermione saw Neville charge and Voldemort and screamed his name. Attacking him directly was suicidal. She watched him hit the ground, disarmed. Voldemort threw the wand aside, and looked down at Neville.

"And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?" 

Hermione heard someone identify Neville to Voldemort. She barely heard the rest of the exchange though. He was trying to convince Neville, a pureblood, to join his ranks and Neville showing an amazing amount of bravery and not backing down. But her mind was on the night Dumbledore died. 

"Hermione," Severus said from behind her. "We can run, hide. Potter's gone there's nothing we can do."

***

Snape frowned when she didn't immediately answer him, her eyes were narrowing as she stared at her friend lying on the ground. 

Longbottom was arguing with the Dark Lord. The boy's body would be joining Potter's very soon if he didn't stop. He watched in horrified silence as the sorting hat flew through a broken window into the Dark Lord's hands. What was he doing? 

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School," Voldemort said to the crowd. "There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

Severus watched as Voldemort pointed his wand at Longbottom, binding him with a body bind spell and then forced the hat to his head. "Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me." 

With a flick of a wand the hat burst into flames. Then everything started to happen at once. The sounds of an army of people swarming toward the castle, including Hagrid's brother. Neville broke free of the body bind and pulled the hat from his head. Snape watched in shock as he saw Neville pull the sword from the hat, and slice Nagini's head off in one swing. Centaurs, and giants, and it seemed every shop owner in Hogsmeade stormed toward the castle, attacking the Death Eaters. Amid the commotion he barely noticed that Potter had disappeared from sight, until he heard Hagrid shout echoed over the noise.

"HARRY—WHERE'S Harry?

***  
He wasn't dead. Harry was alive. She'd barely heard the commotion around her, she'd been watching Harry and thinking. Voldemort had said he had to kill Severus to control the Elder Wand, and they had already realized his death wasn't necessary just being disarmed. And then she thought she'd seen Harry move in Hagrid's arms. Not much, just a little; and flinch when Voldemort set the hat on fire. And then suddenly it had all made sense. 

"Hermione we need to…"

She turned and grabbed Severus' arm, pulling him from the crowd. She pulled him away from the fighting into a corner. As soon as they were out of sight she waved her wand casting the Muffliato spell. 

"Did you see who moved Potter?" Severus asked before she could speak. "When the Dark Lord realizes he's gone it's only going to get worse."

"Harry's not dead." 

"Hermione, I know you might not want to believe it but no one can escape a spell cast by the Elder Wand."

"Not if the Wizard isn't the true master of the wand," she replied.

"Hermione, we already discussed this, he didn't have to kill me, only defeat and disarm me which he did," Severus snapped. 

She took a deep breath before speaking. She had to explain and make sure she was right about that night. 

"Severus, that night when Dumbledore died," she began patiently. "You weren't the first one there. Someone else beat you there. Someone else was supposed to kill him that night."

"I know that," he snapped, "Draco was supposed to kill him, that's why Albus asked me to do it, to save the boy's soul."

"Right, but Draco was there first, and he disarmed him, I saw it in Harry's pensieve. By the time you got there Dumbledore was unarmed. Draco had his wand."

"What are you saying?" 

"I'm saying that Voldemort tried to kill you for nothing." She smiled. "He still doesn't control the Elder Wand and he still wasn't able to kill Harry." 

"So Potter was just pretending to be dead?" 

"I think so," she answered. "When all the commotion started, with the giants and centaurs I saw Harry get up and put on the invisibility cloak. He's not dead, and Voldemort isn't unstoppable, as long as he doesn't figure out who truly controls the wand."


	18. chapter 30

**Part Thirty**

Severus grabbed Hermione’s hand and ran back toward the castle. Voldemort had headed in that direction, to the safety of the castle and that meant Potter had followed. They didn’t have time to waste, Potter had to know that he Draco Malfoy had controlled the wand the Dark Lord was using. He wasn’t sure how they’d tell him that he now controlled the wand he just needed to get it back from Draco. 

The first thing that struck Severus as they ran into the great hall was the total silence. He couldn’t quite see the far end where Voldemort was standing but he’d be willing to bet that Potter was no longer hidden under the cloak. Then he heard that voice shouting into the silence, the voice that had annoyed him for nearly seven years. 

“I don’t want anyone else to try to help.” 

“He’s alive, he’s up there with Voldemort,” Hermione whispered, raising up on her toes to try to spot him. 

“It’s got to be like this. It’s got to be me,” Harry’s continued into the silence.

Of course it does, Severus thought, scowling, everything is always about a Potter. God forbid he’d just do what he needed to do without causing a bigger scene than necessary. They needed to tell him, quickly, needed to make sure he knew, he needed to disarm Draco, if he could do that he could defeat the Dark Lord. But how were they going to do that? It wasn’t as if he or Hermione could just stroll up there and ask for a minute with the boy.

“Potter doesn’t mean that. That isn’t how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter? Voldemort said, addressing first the large crowd forming in the hall, and then Potter. 

“He needs help, Severus,” Hermione said looking up at him. “He needs help. He thinks he can’t win this. He doesn’t know that he needs the wand.” 

“I realize that, but how do you propose we tell him without alerting the Dark Lord?” Severus snapped. His temper shorter than usual, for once in his life he felt he may have something to live for and it could all be destroyed because on incompetent boy always ran into everything without a plan. 

“Nobody,” Potter said, attention focused on the man in front of him. “There are no more Horcruxes. It’s just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good…”

“One of us?” Severus stiffened at the tone in that voice, a tone he’d heard too often; a tone that never ended well for the person being addressed. “You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?” 

“Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me? Accident when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn’t defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?” 

Why was the boy arguing. It was only going to make it worse. Attack or shut up, was all Severus could think as he watched them move in a perfect circle waiting for the moment to attack. 

***

Hermione held her breath. This wasn’t good. Harry was provoking a very dangerous man. It took all her will not to shout out to him to tell him to stop, to tell him about the wand. But she couldn’t, Severus was right they needed to tell him without alerting Voldemort or anyone else to what was happening, but there was no way to…

“Accidents!” Voldemort screamed, his control weakening. “Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and sniveled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!” 

Maybe she could talk to Harry the same way she spoke to Severus. If she could get into Severus’ mind then surely she could do the same with Harry. It was riskier of course, Voldemort also had access to Harry’s mind. She’d have to put all her hope in the theory that he was too focused on the argument and killing Harry to be worrying about what Harry was thinking. 

“Severus,” she whispered. “I have a plan, but I’m afraid it might distract Harry. Might make it easier for Voldemort to attack him again.” She quickly explained what she wanted to do. 

“You won’t be killing anyone else tonight,” Harry’s voice rang out again. “You won’t be able to kill any of them ever again. Don’t you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people—“

“But you did not!”

“I meant to, and that’s what did it. I’ve done what my mother did. They’re protected from you. Haven’t you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can’t torture them. You can’t touch them. You don’t learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?”

_Harry, stop antagonizing him, it isn’t helping. ___

___Hermione?_ _ _

___Yes, and don’t lose concentration, Harry. He’ll kill you if you do. Just listen._ _ _

___But…okay._ _ _

__Hermione watched as they continued to circle each other, wand raised. She gripped Severus’ hand tighter and began to explain._ _

___He thinks he’s unbeatable, Harry. He thinks he has Dumbledore’s wand, the **Elder Wand**. He doesn’t though, he thought he could get it by killing Severus but he wasn’t the master of that wand. He wasn’t the one that disarmed Dumbledore…_ _ _

___Draco?_ _ _

___Yes. Just get the wand back from him Harry. You already disarmed him once, you control the wand._ _ _

___Where is he?_ _ _

___In the corner with his parents. Be careful Harry._ _ _

__With that she closed the connection again and turned toward Severus, hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and they both turned toward the scene in front of them again as Harry’s voice rang out._ _

__“You dare—“_ _

__“Yes, I dare,” Harry said. “ I know things you don’t know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don’t. Wand to hear some, before you make another big mistake?”_ _

__Prowling around in a circle, glaring at Harry, Voldemort spoke again, “Is it love again?” Dumbledore’s favorite solution , love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like an old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter—and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?”_ _

__“Just one thing.”_ _

__“If it is not love what will save you this time, you must believe you have magic that I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?”_ _

__“I believe both,” Harry said._ _

__***_ _

__Snape smirked at the look of shock on Voldemort’s face. He had to admit the boy’s arrogance was amusing in this case. He wasn’t sure the Dark Lord had ever encountered someone as arrogant as himself._ _

__“You think you know more magic than I do? Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who had preformed magic Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?”_ _

__Oh, he dreamed of it, but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you’ve done.”_ _

__“You mean he was weak!” Voldemort screamed. “Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!”_ _

__“No, he was cleverer than you, a better wizard, a better man.”_ _

__“I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!”_ _

__“You thought you did, but you were wrong,” Harry answered._ _

__“Dumbledore is dead!” Voldemort yelled at Harry. “His body decays in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!”_ _

__“Yes, Dumbledore is dead,” Harry said, his voice calmer than Severus would’ve expected. “But you didn’t have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant.”_ _

__“What childish dream is this?”_ _

__“Severus Snape wasn’t yours. Snape was Dumbledore’s. Dumbledore was already dying when he finished him!”_ _

__“It matters not. Oh, but it all makes sense, Potter, and in ways you do not understand!” Voldemort shrieked. “Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy—I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore’s last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!”_ _

__“Yeah, it did,” Potter agreed. “You’re right. But before you try to kill me, I’d advise you to think about what you’ve done….Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle…”_ _

__“What is this?”_ _

__“It’s your one last chance, it’s all you’ve got left…I’ve seen what you’ll be otherwise…Be a man…try…Try for some remorse…”_ _

__“You dare—?”_ _

__“Yes I dare, because Dumbledore’s last plan hasn’t backfired on me at all. It’s backfired on you, Riddle.”_ _

__Severus watched as both men tightened their grip on the wands they held. The boy needed to stop talking before Voldemort figured out what they had. Figured out that Potter controlled the Elder Wand._ _

__“That wand still isn’t working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore.”_ _

__“He killed—“_ _

__“Aren’t you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore’s death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wand’s last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand’s power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!”_ _

__“But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!” Voldemort’s voice shook with pleasure._ _

__Snape turned his attention to Hermione who still had her arms around him. This was one of the few times he’d seen her truly afraid. She was always confident in what she was doing, but this time it was out of her control. She couldn’t help her friends, this wasn’t a homework assignment she could correct for them, she couldn’t whisper instructions to him. He tightened his arms around her and tried to comfort her._ _

__“Why isn’t he doing something, take the wand from Malfoy, and kill the bastard,” she asked nervously._ _

__Snape sighed, he hated to admit it but he understood the boy’s need to make sure Voldemort knew exactly how he had gone wrong, exactly why he was going to die. What she didn’t know was how to make Hermione understand that. So he just hugged her and hoped it all ended soon._ _

__“The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy.”_ _

__“But what does it matter? Even if you are right, Potter, it makes the no difference you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand.: We duel on skill alone…and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy.”_ _

__“But you’re too late,” Harry said, “You’ve missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco hours ago. I took this wand from him.”_ _

__Snape and Hermione both smirked as Harry twitched the Hawthorne wand. Then Harry’s voice dropped to a whisper, “So it all comes down to this, doesn’t it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was disarmed? Because if it does….I am the true master of the Elder Wand.”_ _

__Hermione closed her eyes and Severus flinched as two curses were shouted out at the same time, as the sun burst over the sky, lighting the hall with dazzling light._ _

__“Avada Kedavara!”_ _

__“Expelliarmus!”_ _

__The spells collided between the two wizards and golden flames erupted as the Elder wand flew from Voldemort’s hand and spun through the air toward Harry Potter. At the same time the green light that had flown from the wand backfired at its caster and hit the Dark Lord in the chest._ _

__Chaos broke out around them as Lord Voldemort fell backwards to the ground. The suddenly reinvigorated Order and others that had fought against Voldemort began throwing curses at the Death Eaters doing their best to retreat now that their Dark Lord was dead. Snape saw the Malfoy’s trying to quietly slip unnoticed outside to get out before Aurors arrived to begin arresting people._ _

__“It’s over!” Hermione shouted to him, “It’s over, he’s dead!”_ _

__He looked down at the woman still in his arms. It was over and he was alive, she was alive and for the first time for as long he could remember he was happy about that. He lowered his head and kissed her._ _

__“Really, I’m still trying to accept that you like the git, and that you call him Severus,” Ron said coming up next to them, “This may be more than you can rightly expect me to accept.”_ _

__“Leave them alone, Ron,” Percy said coming up next to them. “Let them be happy.”_ _

__The end._ _

____


End file.
